UNM tennis fans will get a double dose of their sport on Sunday when the men's and women's team kick off the spring season against Northern Arizona University at the Lobo Tennis Complex.
In a rare dual meet, the women's team will start singles competition at 11 a.m., while the men will start the doubles portion of its match at 1 p.m. as the women finish with doubles play. Then the men's singles matches will complete the day's schedule.
Both teams will attempt to duplicate the success they had last spring, when they combined to post a 33-15 record and earned third place finishes in the Mountain West Conference championships. How they plan to do it, though, will be different.
While the men's team will rely on a balanced group of upper and underclassmen, the women have a lineup dominated by sophomores and freshmen. However, the women's team has a lot of talent in its underclassmen.
Women's head coach Kathy Kolankiewicz said that while the younger players will have their ups and downs, they should be playing their best tennis by April.
"With the talent they have they'll get better and better, as long as we're doing the right things in practice," Kolankiewicz said.
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Senior Courtney Choate leads the team, along with the play of sophomores Tjasa Suvak and Sandy Lukowski. Choate had the best winning percentage of all returning players with more than 10 wins, posting an 18-10 (.642) record last season. She spent most of her time at the No. 4 or 5 position, winning 10 of 15 matches, and she and Lukowski teamed as the Lobos' top doubles team. Choate was 8-2 during the individual season in the fall.
Suvak was named the team's most valuable player last season after compiling a 20-14 singles record and going 19-7 in doubles play. She continued her success in the fall with a 10-5 record and a number 20 ranking in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's Central Region.
Kolankiewicz said Suvak is an aggressive baseliner with powerful forehand and backhand shots. The coach said Suvak will play in the number one slot against NAU.
"She came back clearly hitting the ball better than the other players on the team are right now," Kolankiewicz said.
Maria Ruiz-Fabrega showed her strength in doubles play with an 11-1 record, including a victory with freshman Regula Comtesse in the Flight III doubles draw at the Houston Fall Classic in October. Last season, she went 8-3 while playing with six different partners.
UNM is also getting surprisingly good play from Comtesse, who compiled an 8-2 singles record in the fall as well as an 8-1 record in doubles play. Fellow freshman Michelle Hiedbrink got some experience in the fall, splitting her 12 matches and going 7-4 in doubles play.
The men's team, meanwhile, come off a 17-6 season in what was supposed to be a rebuilding year. A year later, the Lobos are considered front runners for the conference title and head coach Alan Dils said the team has the potential to be a top-30 team.
"I certainly think we have the ability," Dils said. "We got to prove it when we get out there and beat some people, but there's no doubt in my mind we're in that category."
UNM has strength in numbers as five players are ranked in the top-15 in the mountain region, led by sophomore transfer Divan Coetzee at No. 4. A quartet of Lobos fill positions 11-15 in the rankings with David Kowalski (11), Bart Scott (12), Michael Polasek (13) and Diego Garza (15).
Dils said the team does not have one standout player, and the talent on the team does not fall off significantly.
Kowalski and Coetzee had the best fall seasons, going a combined 23-4. Kowalski grabbed a singles title in the Balloon Fiesta Classic, while Coetzee made a run into the semifinal round of the Region VII Tennis tournament. Scott finished the fall with an 11-4 record, and was seeded 13th at the Region VII tournament.
Polasek played much of last season in the No. 2 position and had a 7-11 record, but he showed progress with an 8-4 fall record to go with his regional ranking. Garza had a strong spring, posting winning records in the No. 3, 4 and 5 positions, going 12-7. He also teamed with then-senior Kyle Russell to post a 13-5 record in doubles play.
David's older brother, senior John Kowalski, rebounded from a broken wrist his sophomore year to post a 20-10 record last season, including a 13-8 mark in the spring. He recorded eight of his wins in the No. 6 position.
