Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboy Netters Ready for Dual Play
January 21, 2011 | Cowboy Tennis
Jan. 21, 2011
STILLWATER - The Oklahoma State men's tennis team opens its 2011 dual season Saturday, facing Memphis at the University of Tulsa's Case Tennis Center at 8 a.m.
The Cowboys, ranked No. 47 by the ITA, are led by the longest tenured coach in Oklahoma State history. Coach James Wadley, entering his 39th season, holds a career record of 652-306 and ranks among the top six active coaches nationally in career wins.
Wadley's Cowboys return five athletes from last year's 8-13 team and have added four newcomers to the roster.
Juniors Aleksey Bessonov and Eric West, sophomores Ilija Martinoski and Trevor Horstmann, and redshirt freshman Maniel Bains are back from the 2009 squad and are joined by senior Vlad Bondarenko and freshmen Rifat Biktyakov, Brandon Champagne and Tomas Patiño.
Memphis, which opens the season Friday against Tulsa, returns five athletes from last year's 11-12 team and adds the largest recruiting class in its history with five newcomers. The Cowboys hold a perfect 5-0 series advantage over the Tigers, with OSU beating Memphis, 5-2, in last year's season opener.
The highlight of the match should come from doubles play, as OSU's tandem of Bessonov and Biktyakov enters as the ninth-ranked team in the country, while Memphis' Joe Salisbury and David O'Hare are ranked No. 52.
Fans can follow the action live at .
