Jackson, MS-The Belhaven men's and women's tennis teams head to NCAA Division I University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff to kickoff the 2009 season on Saturday. Blazer head coach Levi Patton begins his first season at the helm of the men's and women's programs. Patton hopes to restore Belhaven tennis to the national prominence it enjoyed a few years ago.

                                                               

Both the men's and women's teams have a number of returners and newcomers for 2009. The key returning players for the men include sophomores Gabriel Prado and Joshua Sturgis. They are both projected to fill the number 2 and number 3 singles positions respectively. Sophomore transfer Henry Mandell is penciled in as the number 1 singles player having competed at NCAA Division I James Madison University before coming to Belhaven in 2009.

 

On the women's side, the Lady Blazers bring back some solid leadership in the number 1 and number 2 singles positions.

.JPG" />spot and Young is scheduled to fill the number 4 singles spot.

 

Coach Patton sees the 2009 season as a rebuilding and growing year that offers much potential. "We should be able to double our wins from last year", Patton says. "All of the players have worked extremely hard both on the courts and in the weight room.” Patton goes onto to say that “All of the players have bought into the history and tradition of the program here at Belhaven. When a school has won a national championship and many conference championships, it says something about the school itself. It is only a matter of time before the program is back at that level. It's exciting to see the groundwork being laid and the foundation is now in place. Now it is up to the players".