Two transfers and one freshman are newcomers to the 2009-10 team.
Aug. 28, 2009
Coastal Carolina University Men's Tennis Head Coach Chris Powers has announced the addition of three newcomers to the 2009-10 roster. Powers welcomes transfers J. Alex Funkhouser and Matt Gordon and freshman Leonidas Christofides to the Chanticleer squad.
Funkhouser is a junior from Old Dominion where he won 23 single matches and two doubles match through two seasons (2007-09).
The Winchester, Va. native won the singles State Title his senior year, was singles State Runner up his junior year, and doubles State Runner-up his sophomore year. He also helped the John Handley High School team become State Champions sophomore year and Team State Runner-up freshman year.
"Alex has a tremendous amount of potential," Powers said. "He has experience on a nationally-ranked team and I think we have right system for him to be a success in his last two years at the college level."
Gordon, who will also be a junior this year, attended Farleigh Dickinson in 2007-09 and earned honors as 2008 All-Northeast Conference (NEC) First Team singles, 2008 All-NEC First Team doubles, 2008 NEC Rookie of the Year and two-time NEC Player of the Week in fall 2008 and once in fall 2007. On the court, Gordon won his first 11 collegiate single contests and earned five-consecutive doubles wins.
The London native ranked between No. 3 and No. 5 for six seasons between the national U-13 to U-18 rankings, Middlesex National Junior Champion in 2003, made final 32 at Nationals Main Draw in 2001 and 2004, and a standout on the National Junior level in the Men's Premier South division.
"Matt has established himself as an excellent college player," Powers said. "He has a great sense of determination and I think he'll quickly become one of the leaders in the program."
The lone freshman signee, Christofides is originally from Cyprus and was ranked number two in the boys 18's. Christofides played tennis in high school at Nordhuff in Ojai, Calif.
"Leo may be a freshman, but he is nearly 20 and I believe he will make an immediate impact in the program," Powers said. "He is a tricky lefty game and some big wins on the junior level."
The fall tennis season will start with a doubleheader day at home on Sept. 3 against Francis Marion starting at 2 p.m.
Stats
News
Schedule
Roster
