"We want the student-athlete who plays men's tennis at Baldwin-Wallace College to have a solid experience both academically and athletically," said Head Coach Brian Rector (brector@bw.edu), a 1989 B-W graduate and the winningest men's tennis coach in school and Ohio Athletic Conference history.
"Our goal is to become one of the best NCAA Division III programs in the country," said Rector, who has a 325-70 career record following a 20-5 slate in 2007-2008. "We want to have fun, be competitive in the OAC, midwest and nationally, and teach our student-athletes some valuable lessons about competition and hard work.
"Our program already is among the elite of the OAC and among the best of small college programs in the Central Region of the ITA (Intercollegiate Tennis Association (www.itatennis.com). We have developed a winning attitude," said Rector. "We are looking for players who are willing to work hard both in the classroom and on the court. We are pleased about our continued pursuit of excellence both in the classroom and on the court, and we will continue working toward our long-term goal of winning a Division III national title.
"Each year we play a more challenging schedule," said Rector. "We want young people who want to be part of the success."
The Rector Tennis Philosophy...
Rector's philosophy is based on academics, fundamentals, hard work and desire.
"We ask each student-athlete to make his academic experience his number one priority," said Rector, who was an Academic All-American player in 1988-89 as a senior and has coached three Academic All-Americans. "By striving for success both in the classroom and on the tennis court, we know from experience, that it brings balance to a young man's collegiate experience."
Training begins each winter in the weight room and at local racquet clubs prior to the team's spring trip to Hilton Head, South Carolina. Traditionally, B-W has utilized the River Oaks Racquet Club in Rocky River, the North Ridge Racquet Club in North Ridgeville and the Paramount Tennis Club in Medina.
"We are fortunate to have a school that fully supports excellence by providing the funding for us to train and prepare for our season," said Rector. "The facilities in the Lou Higgins Center, at local racquet clubs and at the "Pop" Collins Court help us to achieve our goals. The College is extremely supportive of our men's and women's tennis programs."
To be successful, the men's tennis student-athlete is asked to contribute a consistent, hard-working effort, to develop himself into the best physical condition, to be willing to learn and execute all the basic skills and to be unselfishly dedicated to the achievement of the team goals.
"We want each young man to understand and buy into he concept of team," said Rector, who has coached three Yellow Jacket teams to OAC titles, including as recently as 2004 and 2005. "In life and after graduation, many of our young men will work in a team enviroment. We feel that the work that our young men will do in the classroom and on the tennis court at B-W is an extension of that learning experience."
The Ohio Athletic Conference
The College belongs to the 10-team Ohio Athletic Conference for men and women. Long considered one of the finest small college conferences in the nation, the OAC offeres competition in the nation, the OAC offers competition in 21 NCAA Division III sports, including tennis.
Each year, OAC schools play each other in dual matches and then all 10 schools meet for the annual OAC Tournament during the last week in April. The winner of the OAC Tournament receives the OAC's automatic berth to the NCAA Division III National Tournament.
The Facilities and The "Pop" Collins Tennis Complex
The A.W. "Pop" Collins Tennis Center offers the Yellow Jackets a first-class facility for matches and practice. The facility, named after the Yellow Jackets' first tennis coach and located in the center of campus, has six asphalt courts and is lighted for night play.
In addition to the fine outdoor area, B-W tennis athletes can practice or play in the Rec Center, and when these facilities are unavailable, the Yellow Jacket program has use of number of racquet clubs. The B-W squad has unlimited play during the months of January and February to hone its skills prior to the spring trip to Hilton Head, South Carolina in March.
B-W's Annual Spring Training Trip to Hilton Head, S.C.
Each year, the men's tennis team travels south during spring break to Hilton Head, South Carolina to begin the outdoor season. In Hilton Head, the men train and practice for the season and OAC schedule in the warm South Carolina climate. In addition, B-W also plays the best competition available in Hilton Head prior to beginning its northern schedule.
Last updated on May 14, 2008
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