Steve Wilson and Alex Makos will be at the top of the lineup to lead the Wilkes men's tennis team this season

WILKES MEN’S TENNIS STRIVES FOR SIXTH STRAIGHT TITLE

2/21/2013 11:11:00 AM

WILKES MEN'S TENNIS STRIVES FOR SIXTH STRAIGHT TITLE

WILKES-BARRE – The Wilkes University men's tennis team has dominated the Freedom Conference for the past five years and 2013 looks to be no different. Wilkes will enter the spring campaign winners of the last five Freedom Conference championships garnering five straight automatic bids to the NCAA Tournament.

Last year Wilkes finished 14-4 overall and 5-0 in conference play posting 5-0 wins over both FDU-Florham in the semifinals and King's College in the championship. Head coach Chris Leicht, now in his tenth year the helm of the program, believes his squad will remain at the top of the Freedom Conference. “We have a great mix of upperclassmen and freshmen,” Leicht said. “We are taking it day by day, and working hard to improve our level of play. We are ready to compete at the regional and national levels.”

Among the top returnees will be Alex Makos (Mansfield, PA/Mansfield) who will be competing for one of the top spots in the lineup. Makos, a former Freedom Conference tournament MVP and a First Team All-Freedom Conference selection, finished 16-10 overall last season and concluded this past fall season at 7-4. “Alex is always improving,” Leicht commented. “He is an experienced, tough, and hardworking player.” Steven Wilson (Bronx, NY/JFK), last year's Rookie of the Year and a First Team All-Freedom selection, finished 14-12 a season ago. Wilson and Makos teamed up to win the No.1 doubles title at the MAC Championships this past fall. Wilson finished 5-5 this past fall, but his experience will pay dividends for the sophomore. “Steve is a good leader for us,” Leicht remarked. “He's always competing at the top spot and is such a great competitor.”

Wilkes' two seniors on this year's squad are Brandon Helfrich (Bloomsburg, PA/Central Columbia) and Clarke Freeman (York, PA/Central York). Helfrich finished 18-6 last season and will battle for time in both singles and doubles matches. “Brandon had a lot of match-clinching wins for us last season,” Leicht said. “He's a great leader and one of our hardest workers.” Freeman, a Second Team All-Freedom selection and last season's Freedom Conference Tournament MVP, went 20-6 overall last season. He won the MAC Individual title at #5 singles and #3 doubles in the fall.

Freshmen that will make an immediate impact will be Max Appello (Sparta, NJ/Sparta), Michael Kranz (Depew, NY/Lancaster Central), and Connor Peckham (Warminster, PA/Central Bucks East). Appello finished 9-1 and won the No.4 singles title at the MAC individual tournament this past fall. “Max has a big game,” Leicht explained. “He's very competitive and never gives up a point, you just can't teach that.” Kranz went 9-3 and won the No. 3 singles title at the MAC Individual Tournament this fall. “Mike is an all-court kind of player,” he said. “He moves well and is so tough mentally.” Peckham finished 8-4 this past fall and will compete for time in the middle to lower part of the lineup. “He comes from a good tennis area,” he reflected. “He's a very solid competitor.”

At No.2 doubles will be rookies Kranz and Peckham. “They're quickly learning from each other,” he said. “They have a similar type of game and have been meshing really well." Serving in the No. 3 doubles spot will be Brendon Blachowski (Newtown, PA /Council Rock North) and Freeman. “They are two of our better doubles players,” Leicht said. “They work well together and complement each other very well.” Blachowski will be competing for time in singles matches as well. “He has really improved his singles game this year,” he added.

The schedule will be a good test for the Wilkes tennis team. With teams on the schedule like division II power Bloomsburg, and tough division III programs like NYU and Elizabethtown. “These games will serve as tests for us,” Leicht reflected.

Wilkes will open their season in Hilton Head, South Carolina when they play Penn State Erie-The Behrend College at a time to be determined. Freedom Conference action will begin March 28th when they host King's College at 11:00 a.m. at the Ralston Athletic Complex.

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