Men's Tennis: Rice Invitational Preview
1/17/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Jan. 17, 2001
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Three Baylor freshmen, including two newly-signed players, will represent the Baylor men's tennis team in the first action of the spring Friday through Sunday at the Rice Invitational in Houston.
Freshmen Matias Marin, Nathan McGregor and Reiner Neurohr will join returning all-American Mark Williams, senior Csongor Bibza and sophomore Sean O'Connor at the tournament. Marin and McGregor joined the team just this week, while Neurohr was the Bears' top player during the fall.
Those six players are part of a Baylor team that begins the spring ranked No. 15 in the nation, good for second-best in the Big 12 but still the lowest ranking for the Baylor men since February 1999.
At the Rice Invitational, the six aforementioned players will all compete in singles. In doubles, the teams will be Neurohr and Williams, Bibza and McGregor, and Marin and O'Connor.
Team notes: The No. 15 ranking to open the spring is the team's lowest ranking at any point since February 1999, when they were ranked No. 19... The Bears have not been out of the top 20 since finishing the 1998 season ranked 26th.
Individual notes:
Head Coach Matt Knoll: 81-46 beginning his sixth season, 73-30 at Baylor (in his fifth season).
Csongor Bibza: Enters the spring tied for sixth in school history in career singles wins (39).
Reiner Neurohr: With Mark Williams, earned a doubles ranking at No. 20 before ever playing a collegiate match... The two backed that up with an 8-3 record in the fall, earning a No. 4 national ranking in the December listing... Neurohr also earned his first career singles ranking in December at No. 91.
Sean O'Connor: Already has two four-match win streaks this year (9/24-9/29, 10/28-10/29).
Zoltan Papp: Had a pre-fall ranking of No. 41, but dropped out of the poll after missing the fall due to injury (ACL tear)... Should be ready to go early in the season.
Cory Ross: Won four straight singles matches (9/23-9/29)... Will team with Csongor Bibza at No. 3 doubles, the pair was 5-1 in the fall and advanced to the quarterfinals of the ITA Region VI Tournament.
Mark Williams: Enters the spring second in school history with 77 career singles wins, 17 wins behind record-holder Johann Jooste, and third in career doubles wins, eight behind David Hodge... With Reiner Neurohr, was ranked the No. 4 doubles team in the nation in December... Earned his first career singles ranking in September (No. 68), but dropped to No. 92 in December.
