Season in Review

The Wittenberg men’s and women’s tennis teams turned in another outstanding season in 2002-03 and competed well against top-notch competition in the North Coast Athletic Conference and the Central Region. Both teams played high-quality schedules and recorded winning dual match records before turning in strong finishes in the NCAC Tournaments.

June 4, 2003

2003 Wittenberg University
Men's and Women's Tennis Season in Review

Senior Eric Cusick was a three-time All-NCAC honoree.

Setting the Scene:

The Wittenberg men’s and women’s tennis teams turned in another outstanding season in 2002-03 and competed well against top-notch competition in the North Coast Athletic Conference and the Central Region. Both teams played high-quality schedules and recorded winning dual match records before turning in strong finishes in the NCAC Tournaments.

The Tiger women finished 11-8 overall and in third place in the NCAC. The Tiger men finished with records of 15-5 overall and 4-0 in the NCAC West Division and took second place in the conference tournament. In addition, senior Casey Clagett (Steamboat Springs, Colo./Steamboat Springs)advanced to the NCAA Division III Singles Championship Tournament at Gustavus Adolphus College. The third Wittenberg player in as many years to advance to the national tournament, Clagett lost in the first round.

Clagett continued to break new ground for Wittenberg men's tennis following the season as he was named All-America by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.

Fall Season Highlights:

For the third straight year, the Wittenberg women’s tennis program hosted the Omni Hotels/Intercollege Tennis Association Women’s Division III Central Region Championship at the Albright Tennis Complex. Third-seeded Emily Figel (Ft. Wayne, Ind./Homestead) reached the round of 16 before losing in straight sets to the tourney’s 11th seeded player. Senior Shannon Oliphant (Columbus, Ohio/Hilliard Davidson), the team’s No. 2 singles player and the competition’s No. 9 seed, went one step further, reaching the quarterfinals. In 2001, Figel advanced all the way to the championship match.

Casey Clagett became the first Tiger player, male or female, to win the Omni Hotels/Intercollegiate Tennis Association Men’s Division III Central Region Singles Championship at DePauw University. A quarterfinalist at the event each of the last two years and the No. 2 seed in the competition after his 23-4 singles record in 2001-02, Clagett won six matches in three days, including three straight three-setters in the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals. As a result, he advanced to the Omni Hotels/ITA National Small College Championship Tournament on Oct. 17-20, where he finished eighth.

In addition to Clagett, several other Tigers turned in fine performances at the tournament. Seniors Eric Cusick (Lima, Ohio/Senior) and Mike Herzog (Springfield, Ohio/Northwestern) each won two singles matches, and Herzog teamed with senior Ben Hodgkiss-Lilly (Cleveland Heights, Ohio/Cleveland Heights) to win two doubles matches before falling in the quarterfinals by the eventual champions.

All-NCAC:

Casey Clagett was named first-team All-NCAC for a second straight year, earning such honors for both singles and doubles. Mike Herzog claimed first-team All-NCAC honors at No. 1 doubles after pairing with Clagett. Junior No. 2 singles player Duby Lakos (Lynchburg, Va./Heritage) was named second-team All-NCAC after turning in an 11-12 overall record. Eric Cusick, who had the team’s best singles record at 23-6 at the No. 3 position, made honorable mention.

No. 1 women’s player Emily Figel was named first-team All-NCAC for a second straight year, and No. 2 singles player Shannon Oliphant joined her on the top team for the first time in her career. Figel and Oliphant also earned first-team All-NCAC honors as a doubles team after they posted a 13-6 overall record. In addition, sophomore Sarah Fassler (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Ursula) was chosen for honorable mention all-conference after playing strong at the No. 3 singles position.

Freshman Kristyn Russell had a 7-0 record against NCAC opponents in 2003.

Overall Records:

Casey Clagett was one of five singles players to post a winning record, finishing at 22-10 overall and 4-0 against NCAC West competition. Eric Cusick also topped the 20-win plateau, finishing 23-6 overall and 4-0 in the NCAC West. No. 4 player Mike Herzogfinished 17-10 and 4-0, No. 5 playerBen Hodgkiss-Lilly wound up 16-7 and 3-1 and freshman No. 6 player Shane Hutton (Charleston, W.Va./Catholic)rounded things out with a 13-12 mark overall. All three Tiger doubles teams posted winning records as well, with winning percentages all topping .600.

Four of the women’s team’s six singles players finished with winning records, as did two of the three doubles teams. Emily Figel finished 12-10 overall and 4-2 against NCAC competition. No. 2 singles player Shannon Oliphant capped her stellar career with records of 19-3 overall and 5-0 in the NCAC. Freshman No. 4 singles player Kristyn Russell (Loveland, Ohio/Mt. Notre Dame) produced records of 13-11 overall and 7-0 in the NCAC. Junior No. 6 singles player Deana Nowakowski (Uniontown, Ohio/Lake)rounded things out with marks of 13-8 and 6-2.

The Coach:

Dave Engle (Bowling Green ‘68) has led the women’s team to two winning seasons and now has a seven-year record of 59-86. The Tigers finished third in the NCAC for the third straight year.

On the men’s side, Engle has coached the team for six seasons and has a 81-47 record. After the season, Engle was named NCAC Men’s Tennis Coach of the Year, the first time he has been so honored.