SIX SUNY COBLESKILL MEN’S TENNIS PLAYERS EARN ALL-MOUNTAIN VALLEY CONFERENCE HONORS

Six members of the SUNY Cobleskill men’s tennis program have earned a place on the 2006 All-Mountain Valley Conference Team. The Fighting Tigers posted a perfect conference record of 3-0 on the season capturing the program’s first conference title in 23 years of league affiliation. Cobleskill closed the year with one of the best turnaround seasons in the NJCAA Division III ranks going from 0-9 in 2005 to 7-2 in 2006. The program also made its first NJCAA Region III Championship Tournament appearance since 1998 finishing fourth overall at the event.

Fighting Tiger team members honored included: freshman number one singles Steve Weiss, Getzville, NY, Williamson North High School, freshman number two singles Andy Steiner, Perry, NY, Perry High School, number three singles senior captain Derek Norberg, Middleburgh, NY, Middleburgh High School, number four singles freshman Perry Gould, Cortland Manor, NY, Hendrick Hudson High School, freshman Mike Hooker, Cicero, NY, Cicero-North Syracuse High School, at number five singles and senior number six singles Justin Friedman, Bedford, NY, Carmel High School. All of the Cobleskill team members posted perfect 3-0 records at their respective individual seed positions.

First-year Fighting Tiger Head Men’s Tennis Coach Scott Hill, who was earlier honored by the league as the 2006 MVC Coach-of-the-Year, had nothing but praise for his squad members. “I am very proud of these young men and what they have accomplished collectively this season. Hollywood could not have written a better script for my first year as head coach and this team has provided me with one of the most enjoyable experiences in my coaching career,” said Hill.

The season is still not over for Steve Weiss who became the first player in Cobleskill men’s tennis history to win an individual championship in program history capturing the number one singles position at the 2006 NJCAA Region III Championships hosted by Columbia-Greene Community College in Hudson, NY. With the victory the talented freshman has now earned a place in the 2006 NJCAA Division III National Championship Tournament to be hosted by Collin Community College in Plano, TX from May 16th through May 20th.