MATCH INFORMATION
Match #7
Daemen Wildcats (0-6, 0-0 ECC) vs. Fairmont State Falcons (0-1, 0-0 MEC)
Friday, Mar. 1 | 4 PM | Morgantown, W.Va.
Match #8
Daemen Wildcats (0-6, 0-0 ECC) vs. Salem Tigers (2-2)
Saturday, Mar. 2 | 1 PM | Charleston, W.Va.
THE SERVE
Daemen returns to action with a pair of non-conference dual matches in The Mountain State this weekend. The Wildcats first take on Mountain East Conference member Fairmont State in the first meeting between the two since September of 2016. They'll close the trip by facing NCAA Division II independent Salem. The Wildcats are looking for their first win of the season, and they're coming off a 7-0 loss to regional rival Le Moyne last weekend.
MCDERMOTT ERA
The 2018-19 season marks the start of a new era for Daemen as head coach Kerry McDermott begins his first season with the program. In early July, McDermott was named the third head coach in team history after spending the last 36 seasons as the head men's tennis coach at the University of Nebraska. In that time, McDermott led the Huskers to 405 victories, the most of any coach in team history, and two NCAA Tournament appearances.
REPEAT RUIZ
Ricardo Ruiz Martinez enters his senior campaign as one of the most accomplished players in team history. After beginning his career at American International, Ruiz Martinez has earned second team All-ECC honors in each of the last two seasons since transferring to Daemen; he is the only player in team history to have earned all-conference accolades. The Valencia, Spain native established new program records for singles wins (17) and singles winning percentage (.654) last season. For his career, Ruiz Martinez ranks among Daemen's all-time leaders in combined wins (52 - 5th) and singles wins (28 - 3rd).
IMPRESSING @ ITA'S
Daemen opened the 2018-19 season by putting together the program's best-ever showing at the ITA East Region Championship held earlier this month at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The prestigious tournament brings together teams from across the NCAA Division II East Region for a weekend-long tournament. Seniors Ricardo Ruiz Martinez and David Gonzalez Villegas teamed up to advance into the quarterfinals of the doubles draw, posting a 3-1 record to do so. The Wildcats also got doubles wins from the pairs of Jose Williamson III / Fabian Wilde and Patrick O'Brien / James Schaab-Rozbicki. In singles play, both Ruiz Martinez and Wilde advanced out of the qualifying draw and into the main singles draw. Schaab-Rozbicki and O'Brien also earned singles wins in the tournament.
NEW BENCHMARK
With three doubles wins at the ITA East Region Championship, senior David Gonzalez Villegas established a new program record for career doubles wins. The Pereira, Colombia native, who opened the season with 31 doubles wins to his name, surpassed the 33-win record established by his former teammates, John LeMar and Mark Veitengruber. Now with 35 total doubles wins, Gonzalez Villegas also ranks fourth in team history with 53 combined singles and doubles wins in his career.
IMMEDIATE IMPACT
Sophomore Jose Williamson III made an immediate impact last season for the Wildcats, racking up a program record 13 doubles wins. The Minneapolis native edged teammates David Gonzalez Villegas and Ricardo Ruiz Martinez who each totaled 12 doubles wins last season. Gonzalez Villegas has reached 12 doubles wins twice in his career.
LET'S GET WILDE
Junior Fabian Wilde recorded the 50th win of his career with a 6-4, 5-7, 1-0 defeat of Walsh's Clemens Wagner on Feb. 16. Wilde becomes just the sixth player in team history to record at least 50 combined singles and doubles victories. It also marked the 27th singles win of his career, pulling him into a tie with John LeMar for fourth in team history.
ROAD WARRIORS
Daemen will spend some significant time on the road this spring as 17 of their 20 matches occur away from home. Daemen will play nine straight road matches to open the spring season. They'll finally get a home match under their belt March 23 when Millersville visits for a non-conference meeting.
STIFF TESTS
Daemen has played a tough schedule so far this season. Five of the team's first six opponents are included in the Oracle/ITA rankings for their respective regions: Southern New Hampshire (East #4), Merrimack (East #5), Le Moyne (East #6), Mercyhurst (Atlantic #2) and Edinboro (Atlantic #5). Things don't appear to be getting an easier as they'll face the number six (Fairmont State) and seven (Salem) ranked teams in the Atlantic Region this weekend.
FAIRMONT STATE SCOUTING REPORT
Fairmont State is a member of the Mountain East Conference. The Falcons are presently without a head coach, but they are returning five student-athletes from their 2017-18 team that went 14-11 overall and 6-1 in MEC play. The Falcons were defeated in the MEC Championship finals by top-seeded West Virginia Wesleyan, but still received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. In NCAA tournament play last spring, FSU defeated Edinboro (5-3) before bowing out with a loss to Bluefield State (5-0). First team All-MEC selections Joao Lucas Alves and Guilherme Pachane headline the team's returners. FSU has competed in just one dual match this season, a 4-3 loss to Davis and Elkins back on Oct. 2, in addition to three tournaments. The Friday match vs. Daemen will be their spring season opener.
ALL-TIME SERIES: DAEMEN VS. FAIRMONT STATE
Series Record: 1-1
Streak: Lost 1
Last Meeting: Fairmont State 9, Daemen 0 | Sept. 10, 2016 | Fairmont, W.Va.
SALEM SCOUTING REPORT
Salem is an independent member of the NCAA Division II, and the Tigers are led by first-year head coach Todd Tucker. The Tigers posted a 9-15 record last season, and return five players to the fold. The Tigers are off to a 2-2 this season with wins over Walsh (5-2) and West Virginia State (7-0). They'll be looking to snap a two-game slide after suffering recent losses to Charleston (4-3) and Mercyhurst (5-2).
ALL-TIME SERIES: DAEMEN VS. SALEM
Series Record: 1-0
Streak: Won 1
Last Meeting: Daemen 7, Salem 2 | Feb. 17, 2017 | Williamsville, N.Y.
ON THE HORIZON
The Wildcats make a short trip to Olean, N.Y. on Sunday, March 10 to face Division I Saint Bonaventure.
