Northwestern University Athletics
The 2002 Season in Review
6/5/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
June 5, 2002
EVANSTON, Ill. - This season, the Northwestern men's tennis team did something it had never done before-began each match by coming out of its own locker room.
The university dedicated the new indoor Combe Tennis Center on Feb. 2, 2002, a $10 million facility that showcased six indoor courts, spectator seating for 300 and, for the first time, tennis team locker rooms.
"The opening of the Combe Center was the big focus early in the season," said head men's coach Paul Torricelli, whose team finished the season ranked 45th with a 13-10 record and a 6-4 mark in the Big Ten. The home court advantage proved useful to the 'Cats, who posted a 7-2 record at the new facility.
To celebrate the grand opening, former Wildcat All-America Todd Martin played an exhibition match with his Davis Cup teammate, former Harvard All-American James Blake. The two accomplished tennis professionals thrilled the crowd of nearly 1,000 with a competitive match.
"Todd's visit is a treat," Torricelli said in February. "It's something that a lot of teams don't have the opportunity to do. It's not just Todd's playing ability, but his reputation. I think it's an inspiration to the team."
The Season
NU did start the season inspired, with five wins and a single loss to then-No. 7 Notre Dame.
"We wanted to start off strong," Torricelli said. "Some of that has to do with the schedule, but we were able to build momentum through the winter quarter."
NU hosted Purdue the day after the Combe Tennis Center dedication and beat the Boilermakers 5-2. The 'Cats went on to win their first four matches against Big Ten opponents, including a weekend sweep of Michigan and Michigan State.
After the seven-match homestand, the Wildcats took part in the Great Northwest Shootout in Seattle. It was there they faced then-No. 24 Indiana State and fell 4-3 in a close match. The 'Cats capped off the winter academic quarter with a 5-2 win at Harvard.
For spring break the team headed to the West Coast, defeating Fresno State but falling to San Diego. The Wildcats returned with an 11-4 record and a perfect 4-0 mark in the Big Ten, but the second half of the season would not go as smoothly.
"The travel really caught up with us," Torricelli said. "We played seven straight on the road, going from Boston to California, then playing at Illinois on a Thursday. It's no excuse, but it was a factor."
The fatigue began to show when NU lost on the road to a then-unranked Iowa team. Having been swept by third-ranked Illinois two days earlier, the Wildcats dropped six of their last eight matches to finish the regular season at 13-8 with a 6-4 conference record.
"We began to struggle in doubles, we could not put points together," Torricelli said. "We ran into tough competition, including the three best teams in the Big Ten, and we were just able to get by teams we should have beaten easily. We lost confidence."
Despite the slide, the Wildcats finished the regular season tied for fourth in the Big Ten with Purdue. NU picked up the higher seed in the conference tournament with the regular-season victory and would square off against Purdue once more.
"In our match with Purdue in the regular season, we barely won," Torricelli said. And the 'Cats could not pull off another victory, falling 4-2 in the first round of the conference tournament. "We were two even teams. I was disappointed to lose, but I have respect for Purdue."
Torricelli's team was down but not out. After not making the cut for the NCAA Tournament in 2001, the Wildcats were excited to learn they would play in the Round of 64 at Illinois.
"Our goal was to make the NCAAs this season," Torricelli said. "And we accomplished that."
The regional pitted NU against Indiana State, another team they had faced during the regular season. This time the match was not as close, and the 'Cats were blanked 4-0.
The Players
For Northwestern fans who had followed the men's tennis program through the years, one player brought back recollections of the early 1990s. There was a newcomer playing the No. 1 singles position who became the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and the ITA Region Four Rookie Player of the Year. It was not Todd Martin, but Tommy Hanus.
Hanus, a native of Palatine, Ill., brought incredible athleticism and a blistering serve to the team. He quickly rose up to play No. 1 singles and doubles, the only freshman in the Big Ten Conference to do so. His efforts did not go unnoticed by the conference and region coaches.
Hanus posted a 20-13 record during the 2001-02 season and started off dual-match play with an eight-match win streak. The only NU singles player to garner a national ranking during the season, Hanus made No. 118 on the April 3 list.
Backing up the top of the order was senior Ryan Edlefsen, the recipient of the 2002 Vandy Christie Award. Though Edlefsen struggled, he was clearly the most intense player on the court and pressured opponents' No. 2 position. His coaches and teammates recognized the value of his work ethic and honored him with the team's top award.
Torricelli also praised the play of senior co-captain Jamie Sahara. "Jamie played like a senior," the head coach said. "His play was consistent, and so was his success."
Sahara finished the season with the team's best record, a 23-13 mark. He was 8-3 against Big Ten opponents and was an all-conference candidate.
In the heart of the lineup, junior Josh Axler served as the team's spark plug during match play. He rode a nine-match win streak from 2001 into the new season before it was snapped at unlucky 13. Overall, Axler went 14-8 in dual match play, often defeating his opponents easily at the No. 5 position.
Senior co-captain Joost Hol had a slow start after recovering from shoulder surgery in December 2001. He ended his career on the upswing, winning five of his last eight singles matches. Hol also won the deciding match in NU's victory over Wisconsin on April 14.
Looking ahead to the future, Torricelli not only has Hanus for three more seasons but Chuck Perrin as well. "Chuck got a lot of playing time as a freshman, which was a real bonus. He will be a big part of our program for the next three years," Torricelli said.
On the doubles side, junior Russell Bennett played every dual match and went 7-8 when paired with Hanus. Axler and Hanus were the most successful doubles pair, posting a 7-2 record and garnering a national ranking of No. 50 before Hanus and Bennett took up as a tandem.
"Our goals were to return to the NCAAs, which we accomplished, and to finish in the top four of the Big Ten, which we did," Torricelli said. "We had a solid year with outstanding individual performances."
And their own locker room to celebrate them in.
