Different, yet somewhat the same, could be a way to describe this season's Western Michigan University men's tennis team.
The different part for head coach Dave Morin, who is in his 24th season, is that he has four freshmen and five sophomores on the 11-player team. The same, well, senior Anton Arzhankin and graduate student Brogan Pierce are two veterans who had a lot of success during the fall season in which to build around as they look to capture the program's 30th Mid-American Conference regular season championship.
''We have a great group of guys who are passionate about tennis and are good in the classroom,'' Morin said. ''Anton and Brogan are leading the way.''
The sophomores are Ashton Adesoro, Drew Evans, Matej Kajzer, Dimitri Moriarty and Adrian Quiros. The freshmen are Jack Davison, Alex Antonopoulos, Oscar Corwin and Solomon Dunsirn. WMU (10-6 this winter) opens the Mid-American Conference part of its schedule on Friday with a home match against Buffalo and against defending MAC champion Toledo on Sunday, also at home.
Arzhankin is a three-year All-Mid-American Conference first team selection, but Pierce had to sit out all of last season because of surgery on his back. However, both were at their best last fall when Arzhankin in singles and Pierce with Davison in doubles won the MAC Indoor Event A Draw (formerly the MAC Indoor Championships) to advance to the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Championships, which is one step before the NCAAs. Arzhankin would advance to the NCAA Tournament while Pierce and Davison won their first match, but lost their second.
''Competing in the NCAA tournament, it's always been a goal and I reached that goal so I'm super happy,'' Arzhankin said. ''It's given me confidence in my game and gave me the idea I can play professionally after college.''
For Pierce, it was a chance for him to gain some confidence in his game after missing last season with the injury and surgery. As a sophomore, he played in the spring MAC tournament, which the Broncos won.
''I had a lot of anxiety, a lot of fear this past fall when I started playing,'' he said. ''It's difficult to overcome and remove those shackles.''
''Being able to execute with Jack and win the MAC fall tournament is something which has helped me a lot. It's easy when you chase Anton in practice and he pushes you a lot, and that's awesome to be pushed like that. You have to raise your level every single day.''
This winter, Arzhankin is 12-2 at first singles and 12-2 at first doubles. Pierce is 5-6 playing both second and third singles and 7-7 at first doubles. The records may be misleading as WMU has played a very tough schedule. The Broncos lost four matches to Big Ten schools, one to Notre Dame and one to Illinois State.
''Arguably we've had the most challenging scheduled in the MAC,'' Morin said. ''We always feel if you challenge your guys, they are going to rise up.
''We've had enough individual success in the Power 4 conference matches, that guys feel they have taken a step forward, too.''
Some of the younger players took steps forward last year. As freshmen, Adesoro, Evans, Kajzer and Moriarty all played in the MAC tournament.
''We've trained the whole fall and played 16 matches,'' Morin said. ''I feel we're in a good position going into the MAC.''
The head coach feels there is a lot more parity in the MAC this season. Either WMU or Toledo have won the past six league championship tournaments. That might not happen this season.
''The first match against Buffalo is going to be a tough one as it has veterans and transfers in its lineup,'' Morin said. ''Then we have Toledo, which is a good team.
''Having one good weekend isn't going to be good enough. You have to be ready for all 10 conference matches.''
Co-captains Arzhankin and Pierce will help lead the team.
''I want to help them improve,'' Arzhankin said. ''I want to help them out during practice and after a match.
''I appreciate that they reach out to me.''
Added Pierce: ''Some of the key things I would talk to them about is handling the different type of pressure in these matches as opposed to their junior matches. I want to give them ways to focus and play their game.''
The goals for the team are simple.
''We want to win the regular season, MAC Tournament and advance to the NCAA and do a great job there as well,'' Arzhankin said.
