Four returning veterans will lead UMass Dartmouth's drive for a fifth consecutive Little East Conference title

(Dartmouth, MA) - The UMass Dartmouth men's tennis team enters the 2000 season with an impressive record to defend. Coach Warren Preti's Corsairs are the four-time defending Little East Conference tennis champions and when UMass Dartmouth hosts this year's LEC tournament, the Corsairs could be in the running for their fifth consecutive title.

"The question is how many years in a row can we continue to lose three or four Little East Conference champions and still repeat as conference champions," said Preti, who is entering his 11th season with the Corsairs' men. "We play a very strong schedule with Salve Regina, Connecticut College, Johnson and Wales and Stonehill in addition to solid LEC teams like Rhode Island College, Plymouth State and Southern Maine."

UMass Dartmouth will have to make up for the lost of three more LEC champions as they prepare for the 2000 season. But Preti also has a pretty good group of returning veterans, including two LEC singles champion and one runner-up along with some experienced doubles players from a year ago.

Leading the four returners will be senior Mike Gomes (Dartmouth, MA), a four-year veteran and an LEC #2 doubles champion last season along with a runner-up award at #2 singles. Gomes finished last season with an 8-3 won-loss record in singles.

Back for another season is junior Jim Green (Harwich, MA), the LEC #4 singles champion and the #1 doubles runner up. With an 8-2 singles record last season, Green had the highest winning percentage in singles for UMass Dartmouth along with senior David Coe (Jefferson, MA), who was also 8-2 in singles. A team captain this season, Coe is back for his third year with the Corsairs after finishing as a runner-up at both #3 doubles and #6 singles last season. Also returning to the Corsairs' lineup after sitting out much of last season with an injury will be sophomore Tim Warren (Fall River, MA). In limited action last season, Warren had a 2-1 record for the Corsairs.

"We will be solid in our singles lineup but the play of our doubles teams will be crucial to any chance of repeating in the LEC," said Preti, who will be joined by nine-year assistant coach Pat Riccardi. "I'm going to be looking at some of the newcomers to move into the doubles lineup and make an impact for us. We don't have any of our returning doubles teams back this season so those newcomers are important to us."

During pre-season practice, Preti said he was very impressed with the work of freshman Trevor Cabral (Dartmouth, MA) and sophomore Mike Kaloyanides (Somerville, MA). Another first-year player, sophomore Jason Warren (Fall River, MA), Tim's younger brother, may also have a chance to get into some doubles competition. Junior Chris Lafratta (Revere, MA) and Senior Derrick Rheaume will also be under consideration for some time at doubles as well.

The Corsairs' prognosis for the 2000 season might sound familiar to tennis fans because UMass Dartmouth faced similar circumstances a year ago. Heading into the 1999 season, UMass Dartmouth, the defending LEC champions, lost five former LEC champions from the previous season yet still posted a 10-2 won-loss record and won a fourth consecutive LEC title.

UMass Dartmouth will open the 2000 season on Thursday, March 30 when the Corsairs host UMass Boston at 3:00 p.m. UMass Dartmouth will also have the opportunity to defend its LEC men�s tennis championship on the Corsairs home court. UMass Dartmouth will host the two-day LEC men's tennis championship on Saturday, April 15 and Sunday April 16.