Ball State University Athletics
Men's Tennis Hosts IUPUI for First Match of 2007
January 11, 2007 | Men's Tennis
MUNCIE, Ind. -- The Ball State University men's tennis team will host its first match of 2007 against IUPUI, Saturday, Jan. 13 at the Muncie YMCA Tennis Center. The match will begin at 1:00 pm.
Head men's tennis coach Bill Richards begins his 35th season at the helm of the Cardinals. The tennis team will strive to win the Mid-American Conference Tournament and earn the automatic bid to the NCAA's. The Cardinals welcome back 2006 First Team All-MAC selection senior Joe Epkey (Center Grove, Ind./Center Grove) and MAC Player of the Week junior Jarrod Epkey (Center Grove, Ind./Center Grove). In the fall, Joe Epkey managed to defeat two ITA ranked opponents in Brady Crosby from Western Michigan and Marco Born of Middle Tennessee State.
“We have a lot of holes to fill after losing some outstanding seniors,” said Richards. “It is a big hit and the returning players will have to play at a high level right away. The fall helped us kind of see where everyone stacks up in their play. I got to evaluate their progress over the fall and see how the newcomers were competing. I believe we will have many players contributing to our success this spring.”
Ball State ended 2006 with a MAC regular season crown after posting a 5-0 stint in league play. The undefeated season marked Richards 17th all-time over his tenure.
The Cardinals will continue non-conference action at home January 14, against DePaul. The match is set to begin at 1:00 pm. Ball State's first MAC match is scheduled for March 23 at Buffalo.
Players Mentioned
