Sunday, March 7
North Haven, Conn.
6:00 PM
Quinnipiac University
vs
Colgate
Photo by: John Hassett
Quinnipiac Ready for Spring 2021 Opener
3/6/2021 4:00:00 PM | Men's Tennis
Bobcats Start New Season Sunday Night vs. Colgate
HAMDEN, Conn. – After an entire year off, Quinnipiac men's tennis is ready to get the spring 2021 season started on Sunday, March 7.
The Bobcats will play host to Colgate in non-conference action from North Haven (6:00 PM), playing in their first match since March 10, 2020 – Quinnipiac's final game prior to the shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We're definitely excited, but I also feel like there's an anxiousness to it," Head Coach Chris Pappas said. "I think we're all ready to go, and to just see how we stack up against other teams after that long layoff."
Quinnipiac enters the spring 2021 season guided by its two returning graduate students (Patrick Cachapero, Austin Yannone) and one senior (Hielke Moore). Cachapero, Yannone and Moore have helped set an example for the Bobcats' younger players.
"I'm very fortunate to have those two [Cachapero and Yannone] back," Pappas said. "And even having Hielke [Moore] back as a senior – to have the opportunity to coach them is special. They've done a great job being leaders for our group."
Pappas recently completed his sixth season as the head coach of the Bobcats in 2019-20. The two-time MAAC Coach of the Year selection has led the program to an impressive 26-8 MAAC record (2014-15 – current) since taking over, helping guide QU to 56 total wins.
"This is one of the closest teams I have coached in awhile," Pappas said. "They all want to win for each other, and I have been enjoying the chemistry within the team grow."
Junior Aleksa Martinovic also returns for the Bobcats in 2021. He had six singles wins and seven doubles wins last year – and spent his offseason in Serbia readying for the season.
The Bobcats were picked No. 2 in the Preseason MAAC Coaches' Poll, as announced by the league office on Feb. 24. Quinnipiac made a run in the 2018-19 season, advancing to the MAAC Tournament title contest for the first time since 2015-16.
The Bobcats went 9-13 (4-2 MAAC) in total that year, cruising past No. 2 Marist, 4-1, in the semifinal round of the conference tournament. Under Pappas' guidance Quinnipiac earned six All-MAAC honors, highlighted by Alester Magalit being named 2019 MAAC Rookie of the Year. Magalit is the fourth player in program history to be named conference Rookie of the Year.
Alester Magalit won a team-high 11 singles matches last season. He earned three MAAC Player of the Week honors last year.
Bryan Schick (eight doubles wins in '20-21) and Clark Davis (two doubles wins in '20-21) also return for the Bobcats.
The Bobcats' spring schedule was announced on Jan. 21. Quinnipiac also has home dates against Rider (March 27), Bryant (March 31), Sacred Heart (April 1), Siena (April 10) and Fairfield (April 15).
"I have confidence in every single one of these guys," Pappas said. "We're excited to have the opportunity to compete, and we're ready to see how we measure against other programs."
The Bobcats will play host to Colgate in non-conference action from North Haven (6:00 PM), playing in their first match since March 10, 2020 – Quinnipiac's final game prior to the shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We're definitely excited, but I also feel like there's an anxiousness to it," Head Coach Chris Pappas said. "I think we're all ready to go, and to just see how we stack up against other teams after that long layoff."
Quinnipiac enters the spring 2021 season guided by its two returning graduate students (Patrick Cachapero, Austin Yannone) and one senior (Hielke Moore). Cachapero, Yannone and Moore have helped set an example for the Bobcats' younger players.
"I'm very fortunate to have those two [Cachapero and Yannone] back," Pappas said. "And even having Hielke [Moore] back as a senior – to have the opportunity to coach them is special. They've done a great job being leaders for our group."
Pappas recently completed his sixth season as the head coach of the Bobcats in 2019-20. The two-time MAAC Coach of the Year selection has led the program to an impressive 26-8 MAAC record (2014-15 – current) since taking over, helping guide QU to 56 total wins.
"This is one of the closest teams I have coached in awhile," Pappas said. "They all want to win for each other, and I have been enjoying the chemistry within the team grow."
Junior Aleksa Martinovic also returns for the Bobcats in 2021. He had six singles wins and seven doubles wins last year – and spent his offseason in Serbia readying for the season.
The Bobcats went 9-13 (4-2 MAAC) in total that year, cruising past No. 2 Marist, 4-1, in the semifinal round of the conference tournament. Under Pappas' guidance Quinnipiac earned six All-MAAC honors, highlighted by Alester Magalit being named 2019 MAAC Rookie of the Year. Magalit is the fourth player in program history to be named conference Rookie of the Year.
Alester Magalit won a team-high 11 singles matches last season. He earned three MAAC Player of the Week honors last year.
Bryan Schick (eight doubles wins in '20-21) and Clark Davis (two doubles wins in '20-21) also return for the Bobcats.
The Bobcats' spring schedule was announced on Jan. 21. Quinnipiac also has home dates against Rider (March 27), Bryant (March 31), Sacred Heart (April 1), Siena (April 10) and Fairfield (April 15).
"I have confidence in every single one of these guys," Pappas said. "We're excited to have the opportunity to compete, and we're ready to see how we measure against other programs."
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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