Sept. 20, 2001

Stony Brook, NY -- The goal of the Seawolves men's tennis team in 2001-02 is quite clear: win the America East championship and move into the NCAA Tournament for the first time in the program's Division I history. Anything else would be a disappointment for a team that returns all six starters and eight letterwinners and posted a 15-8 mark last season. The task, however, will not be easy. Last year's second place finisher, Hartford - losers by just a single point in the America East championship match last season - is waiting in the wings.

The Norwegian tandem of Jens Pillgram-Larsen and Egil Anosnen will lead a solid cast of characters. Pillgram-Larsen anchored the team's top singles spot as a freshman last season and won 22 matches. Fellow countryman Egil Anonsen won a team-high 25 singles matches at the second spot and teamed with Pillgram-Larsen for an 8-4 mark in doubles. Both enter their sophomore seasons and are already threatening the Seawolves' record books. Philippe Amireault provided solid support at the third and fourth singles spots, winning 24 of 31 matches. Amireault will be counted on once again to hold down the middle singles spots.

Stony Brook's success has come in pairs during its first two seasons at the Division I level. Co-captains David Hewitt and Gareth Williams - both from New Zealand - began that trend two years ago and continued it as sophomores. A combined record of 45-21 in doubles competition gives Stony Brook an incredible advantage when vying for the doubles point. The pair have proven worthy in singles play as well. Williams - who will play at the three and four spots - has 25 wins to his credit. Hewitt will provide needed experience at the four, five and six spots. With 27 singles wins and 22 doubles victories under his belt, Hewitt is already third all-time in wins. He will be pushed by Williams, Anonsen and Pillgram-Larsen for the all-time wins total.

Adam Lazarus, Patrick Drozdzik and Kyle Warner beef-up the fifth and sixth singles spots. Lazarus has 35 career victories in three seasons while Drozdzik has collected 17 in two seasons. After sitting out last season, Kyle Warner returns and will add depth to the back of the singles line-up.

After an exhausting recruiting season last year, head coach Gary Glassman needed to bring in just one player. James Carpenter becomes Glassman's first American-born recruit. Carpenter comes from Sayville High School on Long Island where he was a one-time all-state, two-time all-county and four-time all-conference performer. Stony Brook's schedule features a trip to Harvard University for the 2001 Eastern College Athletic Conference championships the weekend of October 5. Only the top 16 teams in the entire Northeast region are invited to the tournament and will include such schools as Army, Harvard, Penn State and Princeton. It marks the first time the program has been invited to the prestigious tournament and will feature at least three match-ups with NCAA Tournament teams.