The Reincarnation of ASU Men’s Tennis (by Sophia Briseno, ASU State Press/Jan. 28, 2018)
--Men’s tennis started as a club sport in 1902, making it the second oldest sport to be played on ASU’s campus, following only football (1897).
--From 1903 to 1931, men’s tennis was undergoing a metamorphosis from a club sport to a intercollegiate sport, as seen in 1913 when there was a competition in both. In that year, the Tempe Normal team lost a dual match to the University of Arizona while the interclass senior team won the cup for the third year in a row.
--In 1932, Arizona State Teachers College (ASTC) became part of the Border Conference and hired its first full-time coach, Earle Pomeroy. Pomeroy led the Bulldogs to a 7-3-1 record the following year, the first winning tennis season in ASU history.
--Unclear or nonexistent records typify Arizona State’s experience in the Border Conference. However, coach’s Pomeroy and Marlowe Keith each posted back-to-back fourth place finishes, Pomeroy in 1941 and ’42 and Keith in 1957 and ’58.
--Charles Roach (1951-52), Fred Hickernell (1951-53) and Bob Gilbert (1952-54) were stalwarts in the Sun Devil lineup during the Border Conference days.
In 1963, Arizona State moved to the Western Athletic Conference under the guidance of coach Ted Bredehoft, who also coached wrestling at Arizona State from 1962-71.
--Among numerous others, former Sun Devil All-Americans John Fort (1971) and Mark Joffey (1975) helped ASU accumulate a 253-107-1 (.700) record in the WAC.
--ASU was represented by four singles players and two doubles teams at four NCAA Championships in a row (1973-76). At the 1978 NCAAs, ASU downed Oklahoma State 6-3 to advance to the quarterfinals before being ousted by eventual champion Stanford.
--From 1973 to 1979, Marty Pincus coached the men’s tennis team to three first-place finishes in the WAC (1975, ’76, ’78). In 1976, the Sun Devils posted their best NCAA finish ever-fifth.
--During the Pincus era, ASU compiled a 161-31 (.839) record, giving him the second-highest winning percentage among coaches of NCAA-sanctioned sports at ASU. At the time, he trailed only former football coach Dan Devine who had a percentage of .887.
--In 1979, ASU’s men’s tennis program entered the Pacific-10 Southern Division, the most competitive conference in the country. Since 1946,when the first Division I team champion was crowned, PAC-10 Southern Division teams have captured 40 of the 48 national titles.
--Also in 1979, ASU produced its third All-American, Alan Waldman. He led his Sun Devil teammates to a 17th-place finish at the NCAAs that year.
--As ASU men’s tennis entered the 1980s, Myron McNamara was named head coach and Gary Donnelly was just beginning his ASU tennis career. Donnelly, who played under the watchful eye of Lou Belken at Scottsdale Racquet Club, went on to achieve fame as a doubles finalist at Wimbledon in 1986. He also competed in the doubles semifinals at the 1985 U.S. Open and the 1987 French Open. His singles career has been highlighted by his appearance in the round of 16 at the 1985 U.S. Open.
--Lou Belken was named head tennis coach in 1983. In 1988, Belken’s Devils, led by Doug Sachs, posted 18-9 record, a fourth-place finish in the conference (ASU’s best ever), and an 11th-place finish at the NCAAs. ASU was ranked 11th in the nation and the Sachs earned All-American accolades.
--Dave Lomicky and Joel Finnigan won the 1989 U.S. Amateur doubles championship, while future Sun Devil Chris Gambino reached the semifinals in singles action.
--In 1990, ASU had four national champions: Finnigan, Lomicky, Brian Gyetko and Ross Matheson. Finnigan captured the U.S. Amateur singles crown, while Lomicky won the 1990 National Amateur Indoor singles championship. Gyetko was crowned the Canadian National singles champion and Matheson earned the Scottish National singles and doubles titles.
--In 1991, Belken led the Sun Devils to a 21-10 record and a quarterfinal berth at the NCAAs. Brian Gyetko, who in 1990 became the first ASU tennis player to earn All-American acclaim in singles and doubles in the same year, duplicated the feat in 1991. Gyetko reached the quarterfinals of singles action at the NCAAs (the farthest advancement by an ASU player since Mark Joffey in 1975) and the round of 16 in doubles with Lomicky.
--In 1995, Sargis Sargsian became the first Sun Devil to win the NCAA Tournament, defeating USC’s Brett Hansen in the finals 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. It was Sargsian’s fourth collegiate Grand Slam title, which was more than any other player in collegiate tennis history. He finished the year as the NCAA Player of the Year, an All-American and the top-ranked player in the country.
--The 1997 doubles tandem of Ed Carter and Sergio Elias entered the first round of the NCAA championships with an at large bid, and proceeded to defeat the second-seeded team from Fresno State 6-3, 6-4. The duo went on to the second round of the championships, but was defeated. Earlier in the season, Carter and Elias not once, but twice defeated the second-ranked doubles team from UCLA. The Sun Devils No. 1 doubles team ended the season ranked 18th.
--The 1998 Sun Devils earned a NCAA postseason berth for the eighth time in the past 11 years. Junior Gustavo Marcaccio advanced to the second round of the NCAA individual championships, finishing with a 28-12 record. Additionally, ASU posted its biggest win in several seasons, knocking off No. 6 ranked USC, 4-3.
--Earning its first big to the round of 16 team championship since 1995, ASU’s 1999 team steamrolled its way through regional play only to fall to Illinois in the quarterfinals. ASU hosted its first-ever regional, posting 4-0 shutout wins against Hofstra and Pepperdine. ASU finished the year with a 16-6 record, marking the most wins since the ’91 season. Head coach Lou Belken earned his first Pacific -10 Conference Coach of the Year award after guiding ASU to an all-time high third place finish in the Pac-10. The doubles tea, of Ed Carter and Jeff Williams earned All-American acclaim after finishing 10th in the country. Senior Gustavo Marcaccio advanced to the Pac-10 singles final for the first time since Sargis Sargsian in ’95. The Sun Devils also recorded the school’s first victory over UCLA, a 4-3 decision in Tempe.
--Head coach Lou Belken entered his 20th season at the helm of the men’s tennis program in 2002. He became only the 12th coach in all of ASU athletic history to achieve such a milestone at the time.
--In 2003, ASU’s 6-1 victory against Santa Clara set two historical records as head coach Lou Belken achieved his 250th career win, while Arizona State claimed the 600th win in the program’s history. The Sun Devils also knocked off defending NCAA National Champion USC, 4-3.
--Advanced to the 2004 NCAA Regional for the 13th time under Belken and the tenth time in the previous 11 years. ASU upset the 2003 NCAA runner-up UCLA 5-2.
--In its return in 2017-18, the squad finished 14-11 and 3-4 (fifth) in the Pac-12 as Matt Hill put together one of the nation's best recruiting classes in his first year, setting a solid foundation. The class, ranked No. 5 in the country by Tennis Recruiting Network, was highlighted by several international players including Benjamin Hannestad and Michaël Geerts. ASU won the Blue Gray Tennis Classic title, the first Pac-12 school to do so in one of the oldest collegiate tennis tournaments in the country, as it defeated Alabama in the championship match. Three Sun Devils were ranked at some point in the season, including Geerts who's No. 20 ranking for the final three weeks of the season secured him the best ranking by a Sun Devil since No. 1 Sargis Sargsian in 1995. ASU earned an ITA ranking on Feb. 20, debuting at No. 20 and was ranked every week from there on out including a season-high No. 13. Geerts upset No. 1 Martin Redlicki and No. 2 Mikael Torpegaard to become one of only three players in the country to notch wins over the top-two ranked athletes. The Sun Devils earned a postseason nod and Geerts also made the singles tournament, the first Sun Devil to earn a spot since before at 2004, as they traveled to Texas A&M but fell to Baylor, but finished No. 38 in the ITA rankings.
--Matt Hill took his Sun Devil men's tennis squad to their best finish by the Sun Devils in 15 years in 2018-19, showing off substantial improvement in the squad's second season. ASU as a team had not advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament since 2004 but managed postseason berths in each of the last two seasons. The Sun Devils also excelled in doubles play, securing the first point 18 times in their 28 matches. Representing Arizona State's highest-ranked doubles pair since 1994 when peaking at No. 8 earlier in the season, Nathan Ponwith/Dominik Kellovsky were one of the Sun Devils' best performing doubles pairs all season long. The pair kicked off 2019 with three-straight wins, including over a pair from then No. 1 and 2019 National Championship finalist Wake Forest. The tandem's momentum never slowed, gliding past the No.1-ranked team and No. 1 seed heading into the doubles championships of Jimmy Benedeck/Sven Lah from Baylor. Ponwith/Kellovsky handed the Bear tandem a relatively easy 6-3 loss for their team-leading third win over a ranked opponent. The Sun Devils secured their first win over a top-25 opponent in March after defeating No. 13 Michigan 4-2.
--Men’s tennis started as a club sport in 1902, making it the second oldest sport to be played on ASU’s campus, following only football (1897).
--From 1903 to 1931, men’s tennis was undergoing a metamorphosis from a club sport to a intercollegiate sport, as seen in 1913 when there was a competition in both. In that year, the Tempe Normal team lost a dual match to the University of Arizona while the interclass senior team won the cup for the third year in a row.
--In 1932, Arizona State Teachers College (ASTC) became part of the Border Conference and hired its first full-time coach, Earle Pomeroy. Pomeroy led the Bulldogs to a 7-3-1 record the following year, the first winning tennis season in ASU history.
--Unclear or nonexistent records typify Arizona State’s experience in the Border Conference. However, coach’s Pomeroy and Marlowe Keith each posted back-to-back fourth place finishes, Pomeroy in 1941 and ’42 and Keith in 1957 and ’58.
--Charles Roach (1951-52), Fred Hickernell (1951-53) and Bob Gilbert (1952-54) were stalwarts in the Sun Devil lineup during the Border Conference days.
In 1963, Arizona State moved to the Western Athletic Conference under the guidance of coach Ted Bredehoft, who also coached wrestling at Arizona State from 1962-71.
--Among numerous others, former Sun Devil All-Americans John Fort (1971) and Mark Joffey (1975) helped ASU accumulate a 253-107-1 (.700) record in the WAC.
--ASU was represented by four singles players and two doubles teams at four NCAA Championships in a row (1973-76). At the 1978 NCAAs, ASU downed Oklahoma State 6-3 to advance to the quarterfinals before being ousted by eventual champion Stanford.
--From 1973 to 1979, Marty Pincus coached the men’s tennis team to three first-place finishes in the WAC (1975, ’76, ’78). In 1976, the Sun Devils posted their best NCAA finish ever-fifth.
--During the Pincus era, ASU compiled a 161-31 (.839) record, giving him the second-highest winning percentage among coaches of NCAA-sanctioned sports at ASU. At the time, he trailed only former football coach Dan Devine who had a percentage of .887.
--In 1979, ASU’s men’s tennis program entered the Pacific-10 Southern Division, the most competitive conference in the country. Since 1946,when the first Division I team champion was crowned, PAC-10 Southern Division teams have captured 40 of the 48 national titles.
--Also in 1979, ASU produced its third All-American, Alan Waldman. He led his Sun Devil teammates to a 17th-place finish at the NCAAs that year.
--As ASU men’s tennis entered the 1980s, Myron McNamara was named head coach and Gary Donnelly was just beginning his ASU tennis career. Donnelly, who played under the watchful eye of Lou Belken at Scottsdale Racquet Club, went on to achieve fame as a doubles finalist at Wimbledon in 1986. He also competed in the doubles semifinals at the 1985 U.S. Open and the 1987 French Open. His singles career has been highlighted by his appearance in the round of 16 at the 1985 U.S. Open.
--Lou Belken was named head tennis coach in 1983. In 1988, Belken’s Devils, led by Doug Sachs, posted 18-9 record, a fourth-place finish in the conference (ASU’s best ever), and an 11th-place finish at the NCAAs. ASU was ranked 11th in the nation and the Sachs earned All-American accolades.
--Dave Lomicky and Joel Finnigan won the 1989 U.S. Amateur doubles championship, while future Sun Devil Chris Gambino reached the semifinals in singles action.
--In 1990, ASU had four national champions: Finnigan, Lomicky, Brian Gyetko and Ross Matheson. Finnigan captured the U.S. Amateur singles crown, while Lomicky won the 1990 National Amateur Indoor singles championship. Gyetko was crowned the Canadian National singles champion and Matheson earned the Scottish National singles and doubles titles.
--In 1991, Belken led the Sun Devils to a 21-10 record and a quarterfinal berth at the NCAAs. Brian Gyetko, who in 1990 became the first ASU tennis player to earn All-American acclaim in singles and doubles in the same year, duplicated the feat in 1991. Gyetko reached the quarterfinals of singles action at the NCAAs (the farthest advancement by an ASU player since Mark Joffey in 1975) and the round of 16 in doubles with Lomicky.
--In 1995, Sargis Sargsian became the first Sun Devil to win the NCAA Tournament, defeating USC’s Brett Hansen in the finals 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. It was Sargsian’s fourth collegiate Grand Slam title, which was more than any other player in collegiate tennis history. He finished the year as the NCAA Player of the Year, an All-American and the top-ranked player in the country.
--The 1997 doubles tandem of Ed Carter and Sergio Elias entered the first round of the NCAA championships with an at large bid, and proceeded to defeat the second-seeded team from Fresno State 6-3, 6-4. The duo went on to the second round of the championships, but was defeated. Earlier in the season, Carter and Elias not once, but twice defeated the second-ranked doubles team from UCLA. The Sun Devils No. 1 doubles team ended the season ranked 18th.
--The 1998 Sun Devils earned a NCAA postseason berth for the eighth time in the past 11 years. Junior Gustavo Marcaccio advanced to the second round of the NCAA individual championships, finishing with a 28-12 record. Additionally, ASU posted its biggest win in several seasons, knocking off No. 6 ranked USC, 4-3.
--Earning its first big to the round of 16 team championship since 1995, ASU’s 1999 team steamrolled its way through regional play only to fall to Illinois in the quarterfinals. ASU hosted its first-ever regional, posting 4-0 shutout wins against Hofstra and Pepperdine. ASU finished the year with a 16-6 record, marking the most wins since the ’91 season. Head coach Lou Belken earned his first Pacific -10 Conference Coach of the Year award after guiding ASU to an all-time high third place finish in the Pac-10. The doubles tea, of Ed Carter and Jeff Williams earned All-American acclaim after finishing 10th in the country. Senior Gustavo Marcaccio advanced to the Pac-10 singles final for the first time since Sargis Sargsian in ’95. The Sun Devils also recorded the school’s first victory over UCLA, a 4-3 decision in Tempe.
--Head coach Lou Belken entered his 20th season at the helm of the men’s tennis program in 2002. He became only the 12th coach in all of ASU athletic history to achieve such a milestone at the time.
--In 2003, ASU’s 6-1 victory against Santa Clara set two historical records as head coach Lou Belken achieved his 250th career win, while Arizona State claimed the 600th win in the program’s history. The Sun Devils also knocked off defending NCAA National Champion USC, 4-3.
--Advanced to the 2004 NCAA Regional for the 13th time under Belken and the tenth time in the previous 11 years. ASU upset the 2003 NCAA runner-up UCLA 5-2.
--In its return in 2017-18, the squad finished 14-11 and 3-4 (fifth) in the Pac-12 as Matt Hill put together one of the nation's best recruiting classes in his first year, setting a solid foundation. The class, ranked No. 5 in the country by Tennis Recruiting Network, was highlighted by several international players including Benjamin Hannestad and Michaël Geerts. ASU won the Blue Gray Tennis Classic title, the first Pac-12 school to do so in one of the oldest collegiate tennis tournaments in the country, as it defeated Alabama in the championship match. Three Sun Devils were ranked at some point in the season, including Geerts who's No. 20 ranking for the final three weeks of the season secured him the best ranking by a Sun Devil since No. 1 Sargis Sargsian in 1995. ASU earned an ITA ranking on Feb. 20, debuting at No. 20 and was ranked every week from there on out including a season-high No. 13. Geerts upset No. 1 Martin Redlicki and No. 2 Mikael Torpegaard to become one of only three players in the country to notch wins over the top-two ranked athletes. The Sun Devils earned a postseason nod and Geerts also made the singles tournament, the first Sun Devil to earn a spot since before at 2004, as they traveled to Texas A&M but fell to Baylor, but finished No. 38 in the ITA rankings.
--Matt Hill took his Sun Devil men's tennis squad to their best finish by the Sun Devils in 15 years in 2018-19, showing off substantial improvement in the squad's second season. ASU as a team had not advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament since 2004 but managed postseason berths in each of the last two seasons. The Sun Devils also excelled in doubles play, securing the first point 18 times in their 28 matches. Representing Arizona State's highest-ranked doubles pair since 1994 when peaking at No. 8 earlier in the season, Nathan Ponwith/Dominik Kellovsky were one of the Sun Devils' best performing doubles pairs all season long. The pair kicked off 2019 with three-straight wins, including over a pair from then No. 1 and 2019 National Championship finalist Wake Forest. The tandem's momentum never slowed, gliding past the No.1-ranked team and No. 1 seed heading into the doubles championships of Jimmy Benedeck/Sven Lah from Baylor. Ponwith/Kellovsky handed the Bear tandem a relatively easy 6-3 loss for their team-leading third win over a ranked opponent. The Sun Devils secured their first win over a top-25 opponent in March after defeating No. 13 Michigan 4-2.