Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboy Tennis to Open Fall Season
September 28, 2006 | Cowboy Tennis
 The field will feature the top collegiate singles players and doubles tandems from around the country. In fact, 36 of the top 40 players from the Fila ITA rankings wil be participating.
  A 128-player prequalifying tournament will feed into a 128-player, 64-doubles team qualifying tournament. This feeds into the 64-player, 32-doubles team main draw that will take place Oct. 5-8.
  The Cowboys will send six individuals and two doubles teams to the event, headlined by Daniel Byrnes. Byrnes was an All-American last season and is ranked No. 11 in the Fila ITA preseason rankings. Byrnes will start in both the singles and doubles main draw. In doubles, Byrnes will team with his younger brother, Nathan. The pair are ranked 8th in the preseason doubles rankings.
  Individually, Nathan will try to make his way through the qualifying rounds. Nathan will be joined by teammate Ivan Puchkarov, an All-Big 12 selection a season ago. Puchkarov, ranked No. 61, will team with Artie Burmistrau in the doubles portion of the qualifying bracket.
  In singles, Burmistrau, an Academic All-Big 12 selection, will join Olexsander Kotsiuk and Jason Wright in trying to make their way through the prequalifying rounds
 Returning Cowboys
The Cowboys return six players off last year's top-20 squad, including Byrnes, a 2006 ITA All-American. The senior had one of the most successful individual seasons in Cowboy tennis history as he was an All-American, All-Big 12 selection and was seeded in the Individual NCAA Tournament, all while fighting severe back pains. Byrnes also paired with his brother, Nathan, to form the Cowboys' top doubles tandem. The duo was an All-Big 12 selection a season ago. Nathan also returns to the squad and will look to build on a solid freshman campaign.
  The Cowboys also return 2006 Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, Puchkarov. Puchkarov, a junior this season, was also the Central Region Rookie of the year, Big 12 champion at No. 3 singles and a unanimous All-Big 12 selection during his first year in Stillwater.
  Burmistrau, an Academic All-Big 12 selection last season, went 17-3 a year ago and will return for his senior season. Also back are Olexsander Kotsiuk, who went 12-8 as a freshman, and Jason Wright, a walk-on junior from Broken Arrow, Okla.
 Head Coach James Wadley
James Wadley is entering in his 35th year leading the Oklahoma State program. His 35 years of service is the second longest tenure in Oklahoma State athletic history, trailing only the legendary Henry Iba.
  Wadley has amassed 593 career wins along with 12 conference titles. He has also been named conference coach of the year 12 times.
  In his previous 34 years at Oklahoma State, Wadley has had only three losing seasons.
 Assistant Coach Yevgen Bondarchuk
Assistant coach Yevgen Bondarchuk has made quite an impact on the Oklahoma State program entering just his third season on staff. The Oklahoma State alumnus is vital to OSU's international recruiting and landed the Big 12 newcomer of the Year, Ivan Puchkarov. Bondarchuk was recognized as the Central Region's Assistant Coach of the Year for his work last season. Bondarchuk played for two years under Coach Wadley and was ranked as high as 55th at one point by the ITA.
 Cowboys in the preseason ITA Rankings
Byrnes, an ITA All-American last season, enters the fall ranked at No. 11 in the singles rankings. The senior was an All-Big 12 selection last season and finished with a 13-8 record at No. 1 singles.
  Byrnes teams with his younger brother Nathan, a sophomore, to form OSU's top doubles tandem. The duo, which was an All-Big 12 selection a year ago, is ranked 8th by the ITA in the doubles rankings.
  Puchkarov was also ranked by the ITA at No. 61. The junior was an All-Big 12 selection, Big 12 Newcomer of the Year and Central Region Rookie of the Year during his first season in Stillwater.
