2013 tennis

GENERAL FACTS:Institution: Spring Hill CollegeCity/State/Zip: Mobile, AL 36608Founded: 1830Enrollment: 1,400Nickname: BadgersSchool Colors: Purple, whiteHome Facility: Copeland-Cox (Mobile) Tennis CenterCapacity: 2,000Affiliation: NAIAConference: Southern States AthleticDivision: WestPresident: Rev. Richard P. Salmi, S.J.Athletic Director: Jim HallAlma Mater: Grinnell College, 1995Faculty Athletic Representative: David Dean, Ph.D.Athletic Department Phone: 251-380-3485Athletic Department Fax: 251-460-2196Sports Information Director: Jim StennettAlma Mater: Mississippi State, 1990SID Phone: (251) 380-4468SID Email: jstennett@shc.eduAthletic Web Site: www.shcbadgers.comTwitter: SHCBADGERSFacebook: SHCAthletics

COACHING STAFF:Head Coach: Eric SajowitzAlma Mater: Limestone College, 2006Men’s record at school/years: 0-0/ 1st seasonWomen’s record at school/years: 0-0/ 1st seasonOverall career record/years: 0-0/ 1st seasonOffice Phone: (251) 380-3487Athletic Trainer: Brian Gronewold, ATCOffice Phone: 251-380-3493

TEAM INFORMATION:Overall Record Last Year (Men): 6-9Conference Record/Finish (Men): 1-3/ 4th of 5 (SSAC West)Final NAIA Rating: NRPlayers returning/lost/new: 7/2/3

Overall Record Last Year (Women): 9-5Conference Record/Finish (Women): 2-2/ 3rd of 5 (SSAC West)Final NAIA Rating: NRPlayers returning/lost/new: 7/2/0

SPRING HILL COLLEGEMobile, Alabama

Spring Hill College is ranked once again in the top 20 Southern universities and colleges, according to the 2011 edition of U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges.”

Spring Hill is ranked 17th among the Southern colleges and universities granting master’s degrees. The U.S. News rankings are based on several quality measures including academic reputation, graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, peer assessment and graduation rate performance. Colleges and universities are listed in various categories depending on their size, location and other factors.

The college is ranked 11th among only 15 schools listed in the South’s “Great Schools, Great Prices” category, colleges that offer quality academic programs, affordable tuition and significant financial aid.

Spring Hill College is also listed in the region’s “A-Plus Schools for B Students” category, campuses where B students thrive in an engaged student body.

The 2013 edition of the Spring Hill College men’s and women’s tennis teams welcome first-year head coach Eric Sajowitz to the helm and he is greeted with two experienced squads. His women’s program returns seven of nine players from a team that qualified for the 2012 NAIA Women’s National Championship Tournament for the first time since 2004 and his men’s team features seven returning players including five seniors.

“This year our experience will be a difference-maker,” says Sajowitz. “Our seniors have been motivating our underclassmen by working hard on and off the courts. I have faith that our seniors are committed to finishing their careers strong.”

For the Badger ladies, seniors Shelby Fritscher of Covington, La., and Tara Montegut of League City, Texas, will be back on the No. 1 doubles court where they earned a 10-3 record last season. Fritscher will also return to the No. 1 singles court after an 8-4 season in 2012 while Montegut will be back on the No. 2 schedule.

Sophomore Elise Michaelis of Covington looks to returns the No. 2 doubles court and the No. 4 singles court while senior Caroline Hitt should return to the No. 2 doubles and No. 3 singles courts after sitting out her junior year due to injury. Juniors Monica Castello of Mobile, Ala., and Maggie Leeds from Birmingham, Ala., went 7-3 on the No. 3 doubles courts last season and will be together again in 2013. At singles play, Castello will look to be back on the No. 5 court with Leeds returning to the No. 6 court. Sophomore Megan Gietl of Montgomery, Ala., will see valuable time on the lower courts as she is needed.

“Our goals for both teams this year are to having winning records,” Sajowitz said. “And our women look to return to the NAIA National Championship Tournament for a second consecutive season.”

For the men, senior Burke DeFraites of Lakeside Park, Ky. will return to the No. 1 singles and doubles courts where he will be joined by sophomore Meyer Schwartzberg of Lake Charles, La., who moves up from the No. 2 doubles court. Schwartzberg was 6-4 on the No. 6 singles court in his freshman year and looks to move up to the No. 4 court this season.

Senior Josh Schultz of Niceville, Fla., will partner with junior Jacob Neu on the No. 2 doubles court with Neu returning to the No. 2 singles slate and Schultz back at the No. 3 court on the line-up card. Seniors Jake Lyons of Jacksonville, Ala., and Wil Amanor from Mobile will move into the Nos. 5 and 6 courts respectively as singles and No. 3 as a doubles team. Senior Jonathan Ames of Mobile will see time in both singles and doubles play as Sajowitz works out his line-up.

Three newcomers join the Badger roster this year as junior John Paul Espinosa of Managua, Nicaragua, has earned a walk-on spot and freshmen Sebastian Arias of Dorado, Puerto Rico, and Lee Leavitt from Daphne, Ala., will gain valuable experience as the season progresses.

“This will be a turning point year for Spring Hill Tennis,” says Sajowitz. “Our players are ready to make their mark and I’m excited to see our team upward bound. The teams have put in the work and now it’s time to see the results.”

PReVieW 2013ERIC SAJOWITZEric Sajowitz comes to SHC for his first season as head coach from Tennis Europe in Stamford, Conn., where he helped develop junior tennis players from across the country. He served as a tennis professional at the

prestigious Sandestin Golf Resort in Florida and at Callaway Gardens Resort in Georgia.

Currently serving as a US Air Force Reservist at the 403rd Force Support Squadron at Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi, Sajowitz was also the head tennis coach at Ruckel Middle School in Niceville, Fla., in 2010.

Sajowitz received a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts from Limestone College in Gaffney, S.C., in 2006. While at Limestone, Sajowitz played both No. 1 singles and doubles for the Saints and was rated Top 10 in singles and doubles in Conference Carolinas during the 2006 season. He began his coaching career as a volunteer assistant coach at Limestone in 2007.

Head CoaCH

Jacob NeuJunior

John Paul EspinosaJunior

Meyer SchwartzbergSophomore

Wil AmanorSenior

Jonathan Ames Senior

Burke DeFraites Senior

Jake LyonsSenior

Josh SchultzSenior

2013RosteRMenNAME CLASS HOMETOWN/PREvIOUS SCHOOL(S)WIL AMANOR SR. MOBILE, ALA./MURPHY HIGHJONATHAN AMES SR. MOBILE, ALA./ST. PAUL’S EPISCOPALBURKE DEFRAITES SR. LAKESIDE PARK, KY./COvINGTON CATHOLICJAKE LYONS SR. JACKSONvILLE, ALA./JACKSONvILLE HIGHJOSHUA SCHULTZ SR. NICEvILLE, FLA./PENSACOLA CATHOLIC HIGHJACOB NEU JR. LAFAYETTE, LA./SAINT THOMAS MORE CATHOLIC HIGHJOHN PAUL ESPINOSA JR. MANAGUA, NICARAGUA/AMERICAN NICARAGUAN SCHOOLMEYER SCHWARTZBERG SO. LAKE CHARLES, LA./ST. LOUIS CATHOLIC HIGHSEBASTIAN ARIAS FR. DORADO, PUERTO RICO/DORADO ACADEMY

Men’s West 2012 standingsSchool SSAC Overall

William Carey 4-0 1.000 17-5 .773

Belhaven 3-1 .750 16-4 .800

Mobile 2-2 .500 7-6 .538

Spring Hill 1-3 .250 6-9 .400

Loyola 0-4 .000 3-8 .273

Men’s east 2012 standingsSchool SSAC Overall

AUM 3-0 1.000 17-8 .680

Lee 2-1 .667 12-15 .444

Shorter 1-2 .333 9-8 .529

Emmanuel 0-3 .000 4-9 .308

WoMen’s West 2012 standingsSchool SSAC Overall

William Carey 4-0 1.000 15-10 .600

Belhaven 3-1 .750 14-7 .667

Spring Hill 2-2 .500 9-6 .600

Mobile 1-3 .250 8-7 .533

Loyola 0-4 .000 4-8 .333

WoMen’s east 2012 standingsSchool SSAC Overall

AUM 4-0 1.000 26-2 .929

Brenau 3-1 .750 15-6 .714

Shorter 2-2 .500 22-10 .688

Lee 1-3 .250 9-7 .563

Emmanuel 0-4 .000 3-11 .214

Sebastian AriasFreshman

Megan GietlSophomore

Elise MichaelisSophomore

Shelby FritscherSenior

Caroline HittSenior

Tara MontegutSenior

Monica CastelloJunior

Maggie LeedsJunior

2012Results

2013RosteRWoMen

DATE OPPONENT SITE RESULTFEB. 11 AT JUDSON COLLEGE MARION, ALA. W; 9-0 (WOMEN)FEB. 12 AT BIRMINGHAM-SOUTHERN BIRMINGHAM, ALA. L; 0-9 (MEN)/W; 5-4 (WOMEN)MAR. 14 TRANSYLvANIA UNIvERSITY AT UM COURTS L, 3-6 (MEN)MAR. 16 TRANSYLvANIA UNIvERSITY ORANGE BEACH, ALA. W, 5-4 (MEN)MAR. 17 *BELHAvEN UNIvERSITY AT UM COURTS L, 0-9 (MEN)/L, 3-6 (WOMEN)MAR. 23 *AT LOYOLA UNIvERSITY (LA.) NEW ORLEANS, LA. W, 5-4 (MEN)/W, 9-0 (WOMEN)MAR. 24 vS. RUST COLLEGE JACKSON, MISS. W, 9-0 (MEN)/W, 9-0 (WOMEN) AT TOUGALOO COLLEGE JACKSON, MISS. W, 7-2 (MEN)/W, 9-0 (WOMEN) TOUGALOO COLLEGE JACKSON, MISS. W, 8-1 (MEN)/W, 9-0 (WOMEN)MAR. 27 *AT UNIvERSITY OF MOBILE AT UM COURTS L, 1-8 (MEN)/W, 7-2 (WOMEN)APR. 12 *AT WILLIAM CAREY UNIvERSITY HATTIESBURG, MISS. L, 0-9 (MEN)/L, 1-8 (WOMEN)APR. 13 AT MILLSAPS COLLEGE JACKSON, MISS. L, 0-9 (MEN)/L, 4-5 (WOMEN)APR. 18 AT HUNTINGDON COLLEGE MONTGOMERY, ALA. L, 3-6 (MEN)SSAC TenniS CHAmpionSHip TournAmenTS, April 21-22, 2012APR. 21 vS. LOYOLA UNIvERSITY (LA.) MONTGOMERY, ALA. W, 5-4 (MEN)/W, 8-1 (WOMEN)APR. 22 vS. BRENAU UNIvERSITY MONTGOMERY, ALA. L, 0-5 (WOMEN) vS. AUBURN UNIvERSITY MONTGOMERY MONTGOMERY, ALA. L, 2-5 (MEN)APR. 25 UNIvERSITY OF MOBILE AT UM COURTS L, 1-8 (MEN)/W, 6-3 (WOMEN)nAiA Women’S TenniS nATionAl CHAmpionSHip TournAmenT, mAy 15-20, 2012MAY 15 LINDSEY WILSON COLLEGE COPELAND-COx L, 0-9 (WOMEN) * - SSAC West match $ - SSAC Tournament

NAME CLASS HOMETOWN/PREvIOUS SCHOOL(S)SHELBY FRITSCHER SR. COvINGTON, LA./ST. SCHOLASTICA ACADEMYCAROLINE HITT SR. BATON ROUGE, LA./ST. JOSEPH’S ACADEMYTARA MONTEGUT SR. LEAGUE CITY, TExAS/CLEAR CREEK HIGHMONICA CASTELLO JR. MOBILE, ALA./UMS-WRIGHTMAGGIE LEEDS JR. BIRMINGHAM, ALA./MOUNTAIN BROOK HIGHMEGAN GIETL SO. MONTGOMERY, ALA./LOvELESS ACADEMIC MAGNETELISE MICHAELIS SO. COvINGTON, LA./ST. SCHOLASTICA ACADEMY

2013 sPRing Hill College tennis

2013sCHeduleDATE OPPONENT SITE TIMEFEB. 8 *LOYOLA UNIvERSITY (LA.) COPELAND-COx 3 P.M.FEB. 9 EMMANUEL COLLEGE COPELAND-COx 9:30 A.M.FEB. 16 TOUGALOO COLLEGE UNIv. OF MOBILE 1 P.M.MAR. 6 UNIvERSITY OF INDIANAPOLIS UNIv. OF MOBILE 2 P.M.MAR. 11 LATOURNEAU UNIvERSITY UNIv. OF MOBILE 4 P.M.MAR. 12 TRANSYLvANIA UNIvERSITY COTTAGE HILL TENNIS CTR 6 P.M.MAR. 14 TRANSYLvANIA UNIvERSITY COTTAGE HILL TENNIS CTR 6 P.M.MAR. 15 *AT UNIvERSITY OF MOBILE UNIv. OF MOBILE 5 P.M.MAR. 16 vS. BIRMINGHAM-SOUTHERN COLLEGE ORANGE BEACH, ALA. 10 A.M.MAR. 20 *WILLIAM CAREY UNIvERSITY UNIv. OF MOBILE 5 P.M.MAR. 22 *AT BELHAvEN UNIvERSITY JACKSON, MISS. 12:30 P.M. AT TOUGALOO COLLEGE JACKSON, MISS. 3 P.M.MAR. 23 vS. RUST COLLEGE JACKSON, MISS. 1 P.M.APR. 3 AT LOYOLA UNIvERSITY (LA.) NEW ORLEANS, LA. 3 P.M.APR. 5-6 AT STILLMAN INvITATIONAL TOURNAMENT TUSCALOOSA, ALA. TBAAPR. 7 AT HUNTINGDON COLLEGE MONTGOMERY, ALA. 1 P.M.APR. 9 UNIvERSITY OF MOBILE COPELAND-COx 1:30 P.M.APR. 18-20 A T SSAC CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT MONTGOMERY, ALA. TBAMAY 14-18 NAIA NATIONAL TOURNAMENT COPELAND-COx TBA* - SSAC WeST DiviSion mATCh