Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboys Travel to Dallas to Face SMU
March 21, 2007 | Cowboy Tennis
Oklahoma State's 16th-ranked men's tennis squad will travel to Dallas in search of its sixth-straight win when they take on SMU, Saturday, at the Bent Tree Country Club at noon.
The Cowboys enter the contest with a 9-1record this season and winners of six straight. OSU's lone loss came at National Indoors No. 6-ranked and host school Illinois, 4-2. SMU enters the weekend 7-7 and ranked No. 70.
O-State's lineup features two ranked individuals in Oleksandr Nedovyesov and Ivan Puchkarov. Puchkarov comes in at No. 21 in the latest rankings and has won four straight. Nedovyesov has also won four straight and is ranked No. 57. He is currently the fourth-highest ranked freshman in college tennis. The potent singles lineup also features all-american Daniel Byrnes and the Cowboys' other outstanding freshman Dymtro Petrov, who leads the squad with an .875 winning percentage. Rounding out the lineup are Artie Burmistrau and Nathan Byrnes. Burmistrau, one of two seniors on the squad, has won three straight, while Nathan has played solid since moving up from No. 6 singles.
In doubles play, Daniel and Nedovyesov continue to pace the Cowboys with six wins at the No. 1 position. The Pokes have also gotten five wins from both their No. 2 and 3 tandems.
Scouting No. 70 SMU (7-7)
The SMU Mustangs are 7-7 this season but they have lost to six teams ranked in the top 30. They also have one win over a nationally-ranked squad this season. The Mustangs have been ranked as high as No. 39 this season and they are coached by Carl Neufeld, who is in his 14th season at the helm of the program.
Individually, SMU has one player ranked, Alex Skrypko, at No. 67. Skrypko is 3-6 this spring at No. 1 singles but did have some impressive wins in the fall season. Robin Fahgen, currently playing at No. 5 singles, leads the team in wins with nine. In doubles action, Fahgen teams with Oivind Alver to pace the squad with eight wins.
The series between the Cowboys and Mustangs is tied at 3-3 but the Pokes have taken the last three. Last season, OSU got singles wins from Daniel Byrnes, Puchkarov and Felipe Diaz in Stillwater to hold off the SMU upset.
Last Time Out
OSU shut out instate-rival Oral Roberts, 7-0, in Stillwater. Jason Wright was victorious in his first action this spring, while Oleksandr Kotsiuk got into the lineup for the second time this season and stayed perfect, 2-0. Nathan Byrnes played at No. 4 singles, the highest he has played in his career, and picked up the win. OSU also got wins from Nedovyesov, Puchkarov and Daniel Byrnes and No. 1, 2 and 3 singles, respectively.
ITA Rankings
When the new Fila rankings were released by the ITA on Tuesday OSU continued its trend of falling despite not losing at match. After national indoors, the Cowboys reached No. 9, the highest ranking in program history. Since then the Cowboys have gone 4-0 but have still managed to drop in the rankings to No. 16
600 Win Club
With a, 5-2, win over Penn, OSU head coach James Wadley became the seventh active coach to notch 600-career wins. In 35 seasons, he has a 602-271 (.690) record. He has spent all of his 35 seasons at OSU and, amazingly, has only suffered three losing seasons.
1. Paul Scarpa, Furman 781
2. Robert Screen, Hampton 734
3. Rich Gugat, Air Force 702
4. Ron Smarr, Rice 681
5. Chuck Kriese, Clemson 643
6. Bobby Bayliss, Notre Dame 643
7. James Wadley, OSU 602
Big 12 Player of the Week
It did not take long for freshman Oleksandr Nedovyesov to win his first award as a college tennis player. He was named the Big 12's Player of the Week on March 13, in just the second week for the award this season. The award came on the heels of an outstanding week for the freshman as he defeated Penn's 50th-ranked Jason Pinsky in straight sets and also defeated TCU's Cosmin Cotet in straight sets.
Returning Cowboys
The Cowboys return six players off last year's top-20 squad, including Daniel 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, Ivan 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.
Artie Burmistrau, an Academic All-Big 12 selection last season, went 17-3 a year ago and returns for his senior season. Also back are Oleksandr Kotsiuk, who went 12-8 as a freshman, and Jason Wright, a junior walk-on from Broken Arrow, Okla., who lettered last season.
Instant Impact
While Oklahoma State returned a solid nucleus in 2007 it was imperative for Wadley and assistant coach Yevgen Bondarchuk to add more talent to the roster, and that is exactly what they did. Oleksandr Nedovyesov and Dymtro Petrov joined the squad in January and have already made an impact. Nedovyesov has stepped in at No. 1 singles and gone 7-3, with four wins over ranked opponents. He is also the fourth highest-ranked freshman in the country and also teams with Daniel Byrnes at No. 1 doubles. Petrov has been a force in the middle of the Cowboy lineup, where he currently leads the team in winning percentage.
Head Coach James Wadley
James Wadley is entering in his 35th year leading the Oklahoma State men's tennis 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 601 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.
The Cowboys enter the contest with a 9-1record this season and winners of six straight. OSU's lone loss came at National Indoors No. 6-ranked and host school Illinois, 4-2. SMU enters the weekend 7-7 and ranked No. 70.
O-State's lineup features two ranked individuals in Oleksandr Nedovyesov and Ivan Puchkarov. Puchkarov comes in at No. 21 in the latest rankings and has won four straight. Nedovyesov has also won four straight and is ranked No. 57. He is currently the fourth-highest ranked freshman in college tennis. The potent singles lineup also features all-american Daniel Byrnes and the Cowboys' other outstanding freshman Dymtro Petrov, who leads the squad with an .875 winning percentage. Rounding out the lineup are Artie Burmistrau and Nathan Byrnes. Burmistrau, one of two seniors on the squad, has won three straight, while Nathan has played solid since moving up from No. 6 singles.
In doubles play, Daniel and Nedovyesov continue to pace the Cowboys with six wins at the No. 1 position. The Pokes have also gotten five wins from both their No. 2 and 3 tandems.
Scouting No. 70 SMU (7-7)
The SMU Mustangs are 7-7 this season but they have lost to six teams ranked in the top 30. They also have one win over a nationally-ranked squad this season. The Mustangs have been ranked as high as No. 39 this season and they are coached by Carl Neufeld, who is in his 14th season at the helm of the program.
Individually, SMU has one player ranked, Alex Skrypko, at No. 67. Skrypko is 3-6 this spring at No. 1 singles but did have some impressive wins in the fall season. Robin Fahgen, currently playing at No. 5 singles, leads the team in wins with nine. In doubles action, Fahgen teams with Oivind Alver to pace the squad with eight wins.
The series between the Cowboys and Mustangs is tied at 3-3 but the Pokes have taken the last three. Last season, OSU got singles wins from Daniel Byrnes, Puchkarov and Felipe Diaz in Stillwater to hold off the SMU upset.
Last Time Out
OSU shut out instate-rival Oral Roberts, 7-0, in Stillwater. Jason Wright was victorious in his first action this spring, while Oleksandr Kotsiuk got into the lineup for the second time this season and stayed perfect, 2-0. Nathan Byrnes played at No. 4 singles, the highest he has played in his career, and picked up the win. OSU also got wins from Nedovyesov, Puchkarov and Daniel Byrnes and No. 1, 2 and 3 singles, respectively.
ITA Rankings
When the new Fila rankings were released by the ITA on Tuesday OSU continued its trend of falling despite not losing at match. After national indoors, the Cowboys reached No. 9, the highest ranking in program history. Since then the Cowboys have gone 4-0 but have still managed to drop in the rankings to No. 16
600 Win Club
With a, 5-2, win over Penn, OSU head coach James Wadley became the seventh active coach to notch 600-career wins. In 35 seasons, he has a 602-271 (.690) record. He has spent all of his 35 seasons at OSU and, amazingly, has only suffered three losing seasons.
1. Paul Scarpa, Furman 781
2. Robert Screen, Hampton 734
3. Rich Gugat, Air Force 702
4. Ron Smarr, Rice 681
5. Chuck Kriese, Clemson 643
6. Bobby Bayliss, Notre Dame 643
7. James Wadley, OSU 602
Big 12 Player of the Week
It did not take long for freshman Oleksandr Nedovyesov to win his first award as a college tennis player. He was named the Big 12's Player of the Week on March 13, in just the second week for the award this season. The award came on the heels of an outstanding week for the freshman as he defeated Penn's 50th-ranked Jason Pinsky in straight sets and also defeated TCU's Cosmin Cotet in straight sets.
Returning Cowboys
The Cowboys return six players off last year's top-20 squad, including Daniel 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, Ivan 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.
Artie Burmistrau, an Academic All-Big 12 selection last season, went 17-3 a year ago and returns for his senior season. Also back are Oleksandr Kotsiuk, who went 12-8 as a freshman, and Jason Wright, a junior walk-on from Broken Arrow, Okla., who lettered last season.
Instant Impact
While Oklahoma State returned a solid nucleus in 2007 it was imperative for Wadley and assistant coach Yevgen Bondarchuk to add more talent to the roster, and that is exactly what they did. Oleksandr Nedovyesov and Dymtro Petrov joined the squad in January and have already made an impact. Nedovyesov has stepped in at No. 1 singles and gone 7-3, with four wins over ranked opponents. He is also the fourth highest-ranked freshman in the country and also teams with Daniel Byrnes at No. 1 doubles. Petrov has been a force in the middle of the Cowboy lineup, where he currently leads the team in winning percentage.
Head Coach James Wadley
James Wadley is entering in his 35th year leading the Oklahoma State men's tennis 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 601 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.
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