The Battalion
Pagt
Friday • April 11,
Aggie tennis looks to improve conference recon
By Dennis Ramirez
The Battalion
This weekend, the Texas A&M Men’s Ten
nis Team will pack up its bags and head out
of Dodge to travel to Oklahoma in hopes of
salvaging its conference season.
With an overall record of 7-9 and a Big 12
record of 2-2, the Aggie netters are up against
the wall. After an inopportune weekend
which found the squad having to postpone
their match against Texas Tech University be
cause of Mother Nature, the Ags came back
against the Rice University Owls Sunday.
“We played one of our better matches
against Rice and beat them 5-2 on the
road,” Head Coach Tim Cass said. “This
weekend, as we head out on the road once
again, we face two very similar teams, and
we hope that this past weekend’s experi
ence helps us out.”
As Oklahoma University and Oklahoma
State University await the team, the Aggies
remain confident that they can pull off the
sweep and come out on top.
Junior Carlos Tori said while both Okla
homa squads are fine teams, the Aggies’ con
fidence level should help pull out the win.
“They are good teams and important
matches for us because by winning both
matches, [we have] a chance to save our con
ference season,” Tori said. "We are really sol
id right now and the guys are playing very
well. We are playing the best tennis of the year
and that is in large part due to our confidence
level—we won’t lose anymore 4-3 matches.”
This level of play is exemplified by the
Aggies convincing wins in two of their last
three matches. Right now, as conference
play is winding down, the Aggies look for
momentum at the conference champi
onships April 24-27.
“I do believe that we can beat both of
these teams and get a winning streak go
ing,” freshman Tony Young said. "As the sea
son is finishing up, these are two good
matches for us to play and win. Everybody’s
got to come out and play as well as they can
and get something going as wel
the conference tournament.”
As the Ags head out for unknowniij
tory, their hopes of salvaging a 1
season remain high.
"Since the beginning, we have bed
ing to focus our year on taking careoiJ
own selves, putting together our game:|
and playing with our hearts,” Casss
still believe that this is the caseandlli
estly believe that if we can do that om:
trip like this, we can come out ofit2
Horan, Young have become partners in crim
nincll
erioil
incei
Dbleij
The
► Sophomore Brent
Horan has had to
step it up a few
notches this year.
By Matt Mitchell
The Battalion
I t has been a tale of two seasons
for Brent Horan. A sophomore
on the Texas A&M Men’s Ten
nis Team, Horan has had to make
die transition from observer his
freshman year to heavily depend-
ed-on contributor.
“I’ve had to step up this year be
cause we lost three of our top four
players from last year, and that put
me in a position I’ve never been
in,” said the 6-
foot-2, 180-pound
Lake McQueeney
native. “I’ve played
four [this season),
and last year I was
seven. I played a
few matches of
five and six, but
this is great experi
ence. I’ve gotten to
play everything,
and I think the
more I play the
better I’ll get.”
First-year Head
Coach Tim Cass is
counting on that, as Horan has
moved from the seven spot into the
middle of the Aggies’ rotadon.
“Brent has done a good job
and pretty much consistently
played anywhere from three to
five,” Cass said. “In a realistic
fashion, he’s shown some real
bright spots and taken a couple of
lumps. But all in all, I think he’s re
ally matured a lot since the be
ginning of the season.”
Part of Horan’s maturation un
doubtedly began last season,
when he was most commonly
known as the younger brother of
former two-time Southwest Con
ference individual champion Eric
Horan, who lettered for the Ag
gies from 1993-1996.
Horan said playing with his
older brother afforded him in
sights which have proved invalu
able as he has accepted a larger
role on the team.
“It was good because I got to
watch him play all the time, and
“Now that IVe
started playing
regularly, Fm
seeing what
Coach [Cass]
wants from me.”
Brent Horan
Sophomore tennis player
got to see how he acted and react
ed to all the players,” Horan said.
“I’d seen him before, but now I
could see how he was with the
team, so that was different. He was
older and he’d gone through it.”
Horan’s forte is churning out
powerful ground strokes with his
somewhat unusual playing style.
Horan uses a two-handed grip on
both his forehands and his back
hands, a trait he admits is un
common, but works for him.
“It’s pretty rare — there aren’t
too many pros that do it,” Horan
said. “The big advantage is power.
I think sometimes I can hit the
ball harder with two hands on the
racket. The disadvantage would
be (lack of) reach because you
can’t get a full extension. When
you have two hands on both
sides, your swing
is real compact.”
Horan’s unusual
swing has been
employed full-time
this season. He has
posted an even 12-
12 record in match
es this season,
splitting both dual
(8-8) and tourna
ment (4-4) match
es. Horan has won
his last four match
es, though he says
being prepared for
each match can be a struggle.
"You have to be ready to go out
and play every time,” Horan said.
“There’s only 20-something
matches you get to play, and that’s
hard to do. But it’s something you
see the mature guys and the guys
that have played a lot do.
“Now that I’ve started playing
regularly, I’m seeing what Coach
[Cass] wants from me, and what I
have to do to win every time. I think
the key is just to go out and play the
way I have the last four matches.”
Continued success would be a
huge boost for Cass, who says he’s
seen a maturity from Horan that
bodes well for the future.
"This season has been good for
him,” Cass said. “He’s probably
worked harder and more consis
tently than he has in the past, and
I think it’s showing as far as results
go. He’s becoming a guy that peo
ple are turning to as a leader, and
that’s going to be more and more
important as our team develops.”
Derek Demere, The Battalion
Improved
freshman Tony
Young makes
an impact on
young team.
By Dennis Ramirez
The Battalion
hile most freshmenTexas
A&M University are busy
trying to land a decent
GPR. freshman Tony Young is try
ing to land a seat on the Texas
A&M Men’s Tennis Team.
The 6-foot-3 Young is an exam
ple of what can be accomplished
in a year simply by learning and
sticking to fundamentals. Through
improvement and increased expe
rience, Young said he has been
able to become a better player.
“I have definitely improved a lot
since the beginning of the year,”
Young said. “I credit that to playing
and practicing with solid players
every day and to the coaches doing
an excellent job and understand
ing how I want to play tennis.”
Young has been playing the
sport since the tender age of 10, but
it was the competitive aspect of the
game which allowed him to con
centrate on tennis at the age of 13.
“1 started off playing with my
mom just for fun, but before I knew
it, she had me signed up and I was
playing tournaments when I was
11,” Young said. “I chose to dedi
cate myself to tennis because it was
the one sport which I was winning
and I really liked that aspect.”
From Indianapolis, Ind.,
Young was always ranked among
the top players in the state and
was used to being the top dog.
Young now carries that same
competitive edge to the courts,
and that edge is what has pushed
him to a winning percentage
above .500 and the No. 3 slot on
the tennis squad.
“Coming into the season this
year I was very anxious, but I was
just looking to play in the top six,”
Young said. “I always try to be as
competitive as possible on the
court, and that has helped my
game throughout the years. Al
though I might have some off days,
and while it is hard to bring out the
same enthusiasm every day at this
level because I want to be the best
I can, I push myself to do it.”
us. ll
shaf
afutj
)pth|
Head Coach Tim Casssaiofto Ai
though Young is only a !m: ela\J
man, he has certain distinmBatec
characteristics which will hi
him accomplish his goals.
fony has a very unique as
petitive drive which allows fe
relax but be competitive at
same time, and that will helpki
grow and develop evenmore,"&
said. “He has shown the most
provement of anyone. At the
ginning of the year he wasqtii
do nable as to whether he’d beirn
top six and now he has been pi:
ing strong at the No. 3 position.
Junior teammate Carlos It
said Young has been put it
unique position.
“Tony is a very' talented pk
with one of the best serves Ik
seen in college tennis,” Tori sat
“While the matches andexpe:
ence have allowed him to imprc
the fact is that he picks tennis
quick and is able to absorb^
the coaches teach him has add?:
lot to his game. He is a hardwoii
er and loves the game of tennis.
Young’s work ethic and vast ir
provement has not gotten tob
head. His humble goals and»
ning attitude are evident
watching him work out. Yoi
holds his future here at A&M;
high regard with hopes forthebe:
“In the next coupleofyea ?
see the coaches trying tobuiE
best program possible andte
ing home a conference cte?
onship,” Young said. “A coi-
ence championship is a gos-i
mine, but even to be a part (ft
] 0 team would be great. Itisn®
goal of mine, though, togopa*
collegiate tennis I just wanttobt
come the best player possible
Young certainly has beenab
to establish himself asasolidfo 1
man standout with his attitude.
As we look into the crystals
to see what the future holdsfe
Young here at A&M, the oifl
thing observed is a big, stron
man with a screaming serve.
Cass said as time moves ot
Young will be looked towardfc
leadership and consistency bee
on and off of the court.
“He has come a long way in
very short period and his potff J
tial is very good,” Cass said. ^
time moves on, he will be loop
at as a leader, and we hopethatli'
is able to keep his workethicdaj
in and day out and doesn'tlosd 1 *
with success.”
ArtFest 1997
juried exhibit of student artwork
Entries accepted All TAMU
students
invited to
enter!
April 9 to 11
2 to 6 pm
in room 227 MSC
$5 per entry
Winning
entries displayed
in MSC
Visual Arts
Gallery
Prizes awarded: 4* painting
total value over $400 ^ drawing
best of show $60 ^ photography
plus 1st, 2nd, 3rd ^ computer generated
in each category * sculpture
presented by
MSC Visual Arts Committee
Official Rules: http: / / vac.tamu.edu
Phone: 845-9251 Email: vac@msc.tamu.edu
Parent’s Weekend Kickoff Concert
PRESENTED BY
DELTA ZETA
★ ★★★★★★★★
STARRING
DAVID ALLAN COE
WITH OPENING ACT,
The Logan Brothers
★ ★★★★★★★★
Friday, April 15,1997
Wolf Pen CreeK Amphifheafer
Doors open at 6:00 / Concert at 7:00
TicKets: 12.50 advance & S15.00 at Door
TkTids Available AI:
Duddlcy's Draw
Harooiied Records
Central Park Box Office
Arui Delta ZcfaPlember
The Dixie Chicken
Fiizwilly’s
Rother's Bookstores
MOmvsi
Yes, you heard right. MSC Nova is
to have a MONOPOLY® Game TournamenV. F
^ Limited spaces avaWabV. V res
This Saturday I Preregister Early.
Registration Starts 2 pm
MSC, Room 138 For more info, contact
(Downstairs) 8454515 or H$CUara@tme&
$3 (Ain’t that Cheap!) MSC Doom 216
http-./A w^'msata mu .edu/
^ MSC/Nova/NovoJitm!
yotrspeddneeds. Monopoly® is a registered trademark of the Hasbro j
I
GO
G 0j\i: :
COME AND SUPPORT THE TRACK TEAM!
SATURDAY, APRIL 12
AT ANDERSON FIELD
$4.00 adults
Field events begin at Noon
Running events begin at 5:00
*Door Prizes supplied by the*
Aggie Stars
GO
*G S ,
0°