Tennis

EC Enhancements: Tennis Program Offers Fans Unique Perspective

lcalvert — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 20:24:13 +0000

EC Enhancements: Tennis Program Offers Fans Unique Perspective lcalvert Thu, 08/31/2023 - 15:24

August 31, 2023

�Ӱ��Ƶ has a new tennis viewing experience for fans during the upcoming 2023-24 season with the introduction of the new Tennis Pavilion, centrally situated within the Tennis Complex.

Elevated over 10 feet from the ground, the pavilion offers an exceptional vantage point, overlooking the college's eight tennis courts that were opened in 2017. The �Ӱ��Ƶ coaching staff will also benefit from the addition, with the convenience of monitoring multiple matches simultaneously both during play and in practice.

While the pavilion will make an immediate impact this season, its development remains an ongoing project. The college's vision includes enclosing the lower section of the facility to incorporate restrooms, changing rooms, and a storage area catering to both the men's and women's varsity tennis teams.

To contribute towards his project, donations can be made at www.eccc.edu/warrior-and-lady-warrior-tennis-fundraiser.

Tennis Coach Jay Pacelli Announces Departure From Program

bwagnon — Wed, 02 Nov 2022 13:48:11 +0000

Tennis Coach Jay Pacelli Announces Departure From Program bwagnon Wed, 11/02/2022 - 08:48

November 2, 2022

�Ӱ��Ƶ head men's and women's tennis coach Joseph Anthony "Jay" Pacelli has announced his departure from the program.

Pacelli coached the Lady Warriors and Warriors for seven seasons and built the �Ӱ��Ƶ tennis programs into national tournament caliber teams.

"Coach Pacelli has been an unbelievable asset to the East Central tennis programs," said �Ӱ��Ƶ President Dr. Brent Gregory. "He has built a culture of hard work both on the court and in the classroom for our student-athletes and has been a mentor to many players. He will be missed not only as a coach but as a valued member of the East Central family."

Under Pacelli's leadership, the men's program traveled to the NJCAA DI National Tournament last season for the third year in a row and posted a top-20 finish, while the Lady Warriors made their first-ever trip to the tournament in 2021 and placed 21st as a team.

Throughout Pacelli's tenure, the Lady Warriors and Warriors had teams nationally ranked in the Oracle/ITA (Intercollegiate Tennis Association) rankings. Along with his team's recognition, Pacelli had several individuals excel under his tutelage with a player winning the women's No. 3 singles consolation bracket at the national tournament and MACCC No. 5 women's singles conference champion in 2018. In 2021, �Ӱ��Ƶ's No. 1 doubles team earned All-MACCC honors for their stellar play throughout the season.

"Coach Jay Pacelli has done an outstanding job leading both of East Central's tennis programs to national prominence on the court while maintaining the longstanding tradition of academic excellence from our tennis student-athletes," said Director of Athletics Paul Nixon. "The decision to move on was a very difficult one for him because of how much he loves East Central and his players. However, having recently completed an undefeated fall scrimmage season for both the Warrior and Lady Warrior teams, he is leaving both programs in great shape heading into the spring season. While he will be missed, we are excited for his new opportunity and wish him all the best. The search for his replacement has already begun."

Prior to his time at �Ӱ��Ƶ, Pacelli served as the head tennis professional at the YMCA-Reservoir and at Castlewoods Country Club in Brandon.

His coaching career began at the University of Northern Iowa in 1996 while working on his master's degree. In 2000, after working toward a Ph.D. in sport psychology, he returned to coaching with a part-time position at Olivet College, an NCAA Division III program, in Olivet, Mich.

He continued his coaching journey at Pratt Community College in Pratt, Kan., where he guided the men's program to a No. 26 national ranking among community colleges and coached two players to top-20 national rankings before serving as the head women's tennis coach at former Gulf South Conference member and NCAA Division II Mississippi University for Women in Columbus.

He then moved into the role as head women's tennis coach at NCAA Division I Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, where his 2006 team had the best single-season winning percentage since 1997 and most single-season victories since 1993; and head men's and women's tennis coach at NCAA Division III Millsaps College in Jackson, where he led the 2010 men's team to 12 victories, the most overall at the time in Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference history.

"My almost 8 years at EC have been wonderful and special as I have been blessed with many terrific student-athletes and supporters of the program over the years," said Coach Pacelli. "I recently took a position with the Mississippi Tennis Association in Jackson to be close to my wife and son. I want to thank Paul Nixon, Dr. Gregory, Chris Harris, Dr. Stewart, and all who afforded me the opportunity to be part of the EC family over the years."

Pacelli, a New Jersey native, was a regionally ranked junior player. He received a bachelor's degree in the social sciences from Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pa., and a master's degree in sport psychology from the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls.

While a student at Moravian, he lettered four seasons as a tennis player, splitting time at No. 1-3 singles, and served as team captain his senior year.

Pacelli and his wife, Katy, are the parents of one son, James. Katy Pacelli is the executive director of the Kelly Gene Cook Sr. Charitable Foundation in Jackson.

�Ӱ��Ƶ Tennis Schedules Annual Woods and Whites Event

bwagnon — Wed, 05 Oct 2022 17:50:35 +0000

�Ӱ��Ƶ Tennis Schedules Annual Woods and Whites Event bwagnon Wed, 10/05/2022 - 12:50

The �Ӱ��Ƶ tennis program is hosting its annual Woods & Whites Doubles Tournament on Saturday, Oct. 29, at the Tennis Complex on the �Ӱ��Ƶ campus in Decatur.

The Woods & Whites event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The cost is $40 per player, payable at the event. All proceeds support the �Ӱ��Ƶ men's and women's tennis programs and facilities.

Woods & Whites is a fun, social doubles tournament played like Wimbledon in the old days. Players must wear white clothing (minimum white shirt or T-shirt) and hit with wood racquets. White tennis balls will also be used. Wood racquets will be provided if needed.

The doubles tournament will be a round-robin format with four-game pro sets and old-school, nine-point tie breaks. Those without doubles partners will be paired with other players.

Pre-registration is recommended. To register for the tournament, contact �Ӱ��Ƶ Head Tennis Coach Jay Pacelli at jpacelli@eccc.edu or 601-635-6284 or by CLICKING HERE.

�Ӱ��Ƶ Men's 2022 Tennis Season Comes to End in National Tournament

bwagnon — Thu, 19 May 2022 16:05:58 +0000

�Ӱ��Ƶ Men's 2022 Tennis Season Comes to End in National Tournament bwagnon Thu, 05/19/2022 - 11:05

May 19, 2022

The �Ӱ��Ƶ men's tennis team's 2022 season came to a close at the JoAnn Medlock Murphy Tennis Center in Tyler, Texas, as the Warriors picked up 8.5 points in the NJCAA DI Men's National Tournament. The event May 16-20 featured the top 25 teams in the country, including five representatives from the Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference in Hinds, Mississippi Gulf Coast, Jones College, Meridian, and East Central.

The bulk of the Warriors' wins came on day one as �Ӱ��Ƶ was able to pick up eight points through four wins. The victories came in the No. 2, No. 4, and No. 5 singles and No. 2 doubles flights on Monday. Joseph Fletcher defeated Iowa Central's Andrew Kunaka 7-5, 6-3 at No. 2, while Ian Gordon grabbed a 6-4, 6-1 win at No. 4 against New Mexico Military Institute's Sebastian Solo. Kaleb Parish defeated Corey Engel of Sauk Valley, 6-4, 6-4, to round the singles wins. In doubles play, Parish and Turner picked up a victory with a 6-0, 7-6 (5) victory over Coastal Alabama's Cam'Ron Crenshaw and Channing Townshend in the No. 3 flight.

Losses in the first round allowed the players to compete in the consolation bracket as each participant is guaranteed at least two matches in each flight. In consolation play, �Ӱ��Ƶ's Orren Ladner defeated Coastal Alabama's Torean King, 8-1, before falling to Harford's Mathius Dessureau.

As a team, the Warriors closed out the 2022 season with a 13-11 record and were 9-9 in MACCC play during the regular season. The regular season also saw big wins including tight victories over Hinds, Coastal Alabama-South, and Itawamba.

Singles Results

No. 1 Luke Sanders

Rd. 1 | vs Mikar Fisher (Tyler) | L, 6-0, 6-0
Consolation | vs Come Bulte (Harford) | L, 8-0

No. 2 Joseph Fletcher

Rd. 1 | vs Andrew Kunaka (Iowa Central) | W, 7-5, 6-3
Rd. 2 | vs Tim Riedel (Tyler) | L, 6-1, 6-1

No. 3 Orren Ladner

Rd. 1 | vs Arturo Socias Salvo (Mesa) | L, 6-2, 6-3
Consolation | vs Torean King (Coastal Ala.) | W, 8-1
Consolation Rd. 2 | vs Mathius Dessureau (Harford) | L, 8-3

No. 4 Ian Gordon

Rd. 1 | vs Sebastian Soto (New Mexico Mil. Inst.) | W, 6-4, 6-1
Rd. 2 | vs Maxime Guyon (Pratt) | L, 6-0, 6-1

No. 5 Kaleb Parish

Rd. 1 | vs Corey Engal (Sauk Valley) | W, 6-4, 6-4
Rd. 2 | vs Karlo Krolo (Seward) | L, 6-1, 6-0

No. 6 Samuel Turner

Rd. 1 | vs Theo Devals-Hamel (Iowa Central) | L, 6-1, 6-1
Consolation | vs Lukas Baruffi (Mesa) | L, 8-6

Doubles Results

No. 1 Joseph Fletcher / Orren Ladner

Rd. 1 | vs Davalos/Palomares (New Mexico Mil Inst.) | L, 6-3, 6-3
Consolation | vs Carlon/Khan (Mesa) | L, 8-2

No. 2 Ian Gordon / Luke Sanders

Rd. 1 | vs Telle-Marty/Toscano (Paradise Valley) | L, 6-1, 6-0
Consolation | vs Bonds/Waggoner (Coastal Ala.) | L, 9-8 (2)

No. 3 Kaleb Parish / Samuel Turner

Rd. 1 | vs Crenshaw/Townshend (Coastal Ala.) | W, 6-0, 7-6 (5)
Rd. 2 | Buha/Mulstay (Paradise Valley) | L, 6-2, 6-7 (3), 6-3

Team Standings (as of Thurs., May 19)

1. Cowley CC - 36
1. Seward CC - 36
3. Tyler JC - 34
4. Barton CC - 28
5. Collin College - 26
6. ABAC - 22
6. Eastern Florida State College - 22
6. Iowa Central CC - 22
9. Pratt CC - 19
9. USC-Sumter - 19
9. Wallace State - 19
12. Paradise Valley CC - 17
13. Jones College - 16
14. Mississippi Gulf Coast CC - 15
15. Meridian CC - 14
16. Harford CC - 10.5
17. Jacksonville CC - 10
17. Lewis & Clark CC - 10
17. Mesa CC - 10
20. East Central CC - 8.5
21. New Mexico Military Institute - 7
22. Hinds CC - 5
23. Coastal Alabama CC - 4
24. College of Lake County - 2
25. Sauk Valley - 1

Warriors Have Strong Showing on Day 1 of NJCAA Tennis Tournament

bwagnon — Tue, 17 May 2022 11:49:52 +0000

Warriors Have Strong Showing on Day 1 of NJCAA Tennis Tournament bwagnon Tue, 05/17/2022 - 06:49

May 16, 2022

The �Ӱ��Ƶ Warriors had a great outing in the first round of the NJCAA DI National Tennis Tournament in Tyler, Texas on Monday, May 16. The Warriors picked up wins in three singles matches and one doubles match to rank third among MACCC schools in attendance.

The Warriors finished singles action in Tyler, 3-3, with wins coming in the No. 2, No. 4, and No. 5 flights. Joseph Fletcher defeated Iowa Central's Andrew Kunaka 7-5, 6-3 at No. 2, while Ian Gordon grabbed a 6-4, 6-1 win at No. 4 against New Mexico Military Institute's Sebastian Solo. Kaleb Parish defeated Corey Engel of Sauk Valley, 6-4, 6-4, to round out the Warriors' wins.

Luke Sanders fell to Tyler Junior College's Mikar Fisher, 6-0, 6-0, at No. 1, Orren Ladner lost to Arturo Socias Salvo of Messa Community College, 6-2, 6-3 at No. 3, while Iowa Central's Theo Devals-Hamel defeated Samuel Turner, 6-0, 6-1 at No. 6 singles.

Sanders, Ladner, and Turner will all continue to play in the consolation bracket in singles play.

In doubles action, Parish and Turner picked up the Warriors' only win with a 6-0, 7-6 (5) victory over Coastal Alabama's Cam'Ron Crenshaw and Channing Townshend in the No. 3 flight. Gordon and Sanders fell to Paradise Valley's Branden Telle-Marty and Franco Toscano, 6-1, 6-0, at No. 2 while Fletcher and Ladner dropped a match to New Mexico Military Institute's Raul Davalos and David Palomares at No. 1, 6-3, 6-3. The two teams will continue play in the consolation bracket.

At the end of the day, the Warriors collected eight points as a team which places the Warriors tied for 8th place in the 25-team field.

Point totals after Day 1:

1. USC-Sumter- 16
2. Iowa Central CC - 14
2. Jones College - 14
2. Mississippi Gulf Coast CC - 14
5. Pratt CC - 12
5. Wallace State - 12
7. Lewis & Clark CC - 10
8. East Central CC - 8
8. Harford CC - 8
10. Collin College - 6
10. Jacksonville - 6
10. Paradise Valley CC - 6
13. Barton CC - 4
13. Hinds CC - 4
13. Meridian CC - 4
13. Mesa CC - 4
13. New Mexico Military Institute - 4
18. ABAC - 2
18. Coastal Alabama CC - 2
18. Eastern Florida State College - 2
18. Tyler JC - 2
22. College of Lake County - 0
22. Cowley CC - 0
22. Sauk Valley CC - 0
22. Seward CC - 0

Tennis Warriors to Travel to Texas for NJCAA National Tourney

athompson — Tue, 10 May 2022 15:09:07 +0000

Tennis Warriors to Travel to Texas for NJCAA National Tourney athompson Tue, 05/10/2022 - 10:09

May 10, 2022

For the third season in a row, the �Ӱ��Ƶ Warrior tennis team has earned an at-large bid to the NJCAA DI Men's National Tournament. The tournament will be held at the JoAnn Medlock Murphy Tennis Center in Tyler, Texas from May 16 through May 20.

"I'm so excited for the men to be able to compete at yet another national tournament," said �Ӱ��Ƶ head men's tennis coach Jay Pacelli. "We are looking to have a lot of fun, play some outstanding tennis, and be successful in all of our draws."

The Warriors will join Dominik Simunovic and Joseph Fletcher who both earned individual bids for their doubles play throughout the season as well as Simunovic's singles play at the No. 1 line. The duo finished the year second in the MACCC with an 11-6 overall record, while Simunovic also got the nod on the singles court after finishing the year 13-5, which again is second-best in the MACCC. As a team, the Warriors closed out the 2022 season with a 13-11 record and were 9-9 in MACCC play. The season saw some big wins including tight victories over Hinds, Coastal Alabama-South, and Itawamba.

Along with solid team play throughout the 2022 season, the Warriors had a pair of players named ITA x Universal Tennis Player of the Week in the men's JUCO division in Kaleb Parish and Orren Ladner. The honors both came in the latter half of the season to help carry some momentum into the tournament.

"We are looking, as a team, to play our best tennis when we get out there," said Pacelli. "We look forward to representing the college on a national stage and are just excited for the trajectory for this program."

The tournament will be flighted as players will take on opponents from their appropriate line despite being from different schools. Each match will be allotted points separately allowing for individual winners and team winners.

Matches are set to begin on Monday, May 16, and will stagger throughout the week. Fans can follow @�Ӱ��ƵAthletics on social media for updates.

�Ӱ��Ƶ Netters Earn National Bid; Ladner Earns National Honor

athompson — Thu, 28 Apr 2022 21:00:00 +0000

�Ӱ��Ƶ Netters Earn National Bid; Ladner Earns National Honor athompson Thu, 04/28/2022 - 16:00

April 28, 2022

The �Ӱ��Ƶ men's tennis team has picked numerous national nods over the last week as two players qualified for the NJCAA DI Men's Tennis Championship and �Ӱ��Ƶ's Orren Ladner was named ITA x Universal Tennis Player of the Week in the men's JUCO division.

�Ӱ��Ƶ freshmen, Dominik Simunovic and Joseph Fletcher, both earned national bids for their efforts throughout the season as the Warriors' No. 1 doubles team. The duo finished the year second in the MACCC with an 11-6 overall record. The top-two finish will send the players to the tournament held at the JoAnn Medlock Murphy Tennis Center in Tyler, Texas. Simunovic also got the nod on the singles court as the No. 1 player finished the year 13-5 which again is second-best in the MACCC.

The Warrior team fell in the first round of the NJCAA Region Tournament, hosted by Jones College, but the team still has an opportunity to earn an at-large bid to nationals.

Along with the bids, �Ӱ��Ƶ's Ladner was named ITA x Universal Tennis Player of the Week for his efforts over the final week of the regular season, the second Warrior to receive the national honor this year. Ladner moved to the Warriors' No. 2 singles line due to an injury and earned wins over two top-20 programs in Coastal Alabama and Marion Military which helped the freshman get the nod.

"Orren is very deserving of this honor as steeped into Joseph's position and got some big victories for us," said �Ӱ��Ƶ head coach Jay Pacelli. "It is terrific for our program that we're able to have two players earn such prestigious honors this year."

The ITA x Universal Tennis Player of the Week awards are given out to 10 student-athletes – five men and five women – to celebrate their success from the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.

Tennis Warriors Fall to Meridian in Region Tourney

athompson — Fri, 22 Apr 2022 20:16:26 +0000

Tennis Warriors Fall to Meridian in Region Tourney athompson Fri, 04/22/2022 - 15:16

April 22, 2022

The �Ӱ��Ƶ men's tennis team fell to Meridian, 5-0, in the first round of the NJCAA Region 23 tennis tournament held in Ellisville on the campus of Jones College April 21. The result ends the 2022 season for the Warriors barring a bid to the NJCAA National Tournament.

"We had a couple of really close doubles matches, and we were leading at No. 1 singles and had split sets at No. 6 when the match ended," said �Ӱ��Ƶ head coach Jay Pacelli. "I'm proud of the fight in our team, and we will look to see if we get a national bid in the coming weeks."

The Warriors dropped all the three doubles matches, with matches on the No. 1 and No. 2 court being very tight.

MCC's Anton Sarunic and Sebastian Hernandez defeated �Ӱ��Ƶ's Dominik Simunovic and Joseph Fletcher, 9-7, at No. 1, while Colin Hartman and Will McCullough took down Orren Ladner and Ian Gordon in a tiebreaker at No. 2. Parker Chaney and Grant Frank defeated Kaleb Parish and Samuel Turner, 8-2, at No. 3.

The Warriors fell at No. 4 and No. 5 singles as McCullough defeated Steed Springfield, 6-0, 6-2 at No. 4, and Parker Lyons defeated Parish, 6-3, 6-1 at No. 5. With the wins, the match was called without No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, or No. 6 singles finishing.

Doubles

1. Anton Sarunic/Sebastian Hernandez def. Dominik Simunovic/Joseph Fletcher, 9-7

2. Colin Hartman/Will McCullough def. Ian Gordon/Orren Ladner, 9-8 (7-5)

3. Parker Chaney/Grant Frank def. Samuel Turner/Kaleb Parish, 8-2

Singles

1. Dominik Simunovic led Anton Sarunic, 6-4, 4-5 (match called)

2. Sebastian Hernandez led Joseph Fletcher, 6-3, 5-3 (match called)

3. Colin Hartman led. Orren Ladner, 6-4, 5-2 (match called)

4. Will McCullough def. Steed Springfield, 6-0, 6-2

5. Paker Lyons def. Kaleb Parish, 6-3, 6-1

6. Parker Chaney led Garrett Crimm, 6-0, 5-6 (match called)

Kaleb Parish Named ITA Player of the Week

athompson — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 15:11:54 +0000

Kaleb Parish Named ITA Player of the Week athompson Tue, 04/05/2022 - 10:11

April 5, 2022

�Ӱ��Ƶ's Kaleb Parish has been named Intercollegiate Tennis Association ITA x Universal Tennis Player of the Week in the junior college division. The honor is given out to 10 student-athletes–five men and five women–to celebrate their success each week by the organization based on the change in their UTR.

Parish joined players from UCLA, Iowa State, McKendree University, and more as recipients of the prestigious honor.

Parish took the biggest leap in UTR rating in men's junior college as he improved 0.41 points after a fast start to his freshman campaign. Playing primarily from the Warriors' No. 5 and No. 6 positions, Parish has been a steady fixture in the East Central lineup this spring.

"Kaleb is well-deserving of this honor," said �Ӱ��Ƶ tennis coach Jay Pacelli. "He has a great work ethic and big improvements in his entire game have made him a strong presence on the court for the team this year."

The Warriors are back on the road this week as the team faces Co-Lin in Wesson on Thursday, April 7, at 3:30, before traveling to Meridian on Friday, April 8, and Coastal Alabama-South on Saturday, April 9.

Warriors Split Tennis Matches with Itawamba, MCC

bwagnon — Wed, 30 Mar 2022 13:07:38 +0000

Warriors Split Tennis Matches with Itawamba, MCC bwagnon Wed, 03/30/2022 - 08:07

March 30, 2022

The �Ӱ��Ƶ Warrior tennis team grabbed a key MACCC win over Itawamba March 25, before falling to Meridian at home on Tuesday evening. March 29. The split matches moved the Warriors to 10-7 overall and to 8-6 in MACCC play on the year.

"Our match at ICC was a big team win for us and gave us some momentum," said �Ӱ��Ƶ head coach Jay Pacelli. "We had some chances in a few points against Meridian and strong play from Kaleb Parish as he was responsible for both of our points. He really dug down deep and played great tennis. We are ready to turn the page and take on Gulf Coast."

Doubles vs Itawamba

1. Dominik Simunovic/Joseph Fletcher def. Russell Moorman/Joao Pedro Mendes, 8-3

2. Rhonzo Olaechea/Houston Walker def. Ian Gordon/Orren Ladner, 9-7

3. Samuel Turner/Kaleb Parish def. Sam Morgan/Stroud Mills, 8-1

Singles vs Itawamba

1. Dominik Simunovic def. Joao Pedro Mendes, 6-3, 7-5

2. Joseph Fletcher def. Rhonzo Olaechea, 6-1, 6-0

3. Russell Moorman def. Orren Ladner, 4-6, 6-4 (10-7)

4. Houston Walker def. Ian Gordon, 6-4, 6-2

5. Kaleb Parish def. Sam Morgan, 7-5, 6-3

6. Luke Sanders def. Jackson Feather, 6-2, 6-0

Doubles vs Meridian

1. Anton Sarunic/Sebastion Hernandez def. Dominik Simunovic/Joseph Fletcher, 8-5

2. William McCullough/Colin Hartman def. Ian Gordon/Orren Ladner, 8-3

3. Samuel Turner/Kaleb Parish def. Parker Chaney/Parker Lyons, 8-3

Singles vs Meridian

1. Anton Sarunic def. Dominik Simunovic, 6-2, 6-2

2. Sebastion Hernandez def. Joseph Fletcher, 7-5, 7-6 (7)

3. Colin Hartman def. Orren Ladner, 7-6 (7), 6-1

4. Will McCullough def. Steed Springfield, 6-1, 6-1

5. Parker Lyons def. Ian Gordon, 6-2, 6-1

6. Kaleb Parish def. Parker Cheney, 7-5, 7-5

Up Next

The Warriors are back in action this Friday, April 1, for sophomore day against Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. Fans can watch select matches live at www.eccclive.com/gold.