The FGCU men's tennis team returns for the next season coming up after struggling last. The team 10-13 overall with a 3-3 record in conference. Luckily, the men were able to make it to the conference tournament as the No. 4 seed. They defeated No. 5 seed Upstate 5-1 in the quarterfinals and No. 1 seed UNF 4-3 in the semifinals before defeating No. 6 Lipscomb 4-2 in the championship and securing an automatic bid for the national tournament before falling to UF in the first round. Now of course with every team, they will lose someone that has been a key part of the team.
The team is led by head coach C.J. Weber. Weber enters his 7th season as head coach.
Weber graduated from Eastern Illinois and was an outstanding tennis player and student. While playing tennis his senior year, he was three-time Ohio Valley All-Conference selection, as well as a Player of the Year and Male Athlete of the Year. Weber was also a four-time recipient of EIU's Scholar-Athlete Award and garnered Academic All-America first team honors as a senior, following his selection to the Academic All-America District first team as a junior and senior. Weber was also a two-time MVP and selected team captain as a senior and finished his career with a 44-18 singles record.
After graduating from EIU, Weber spent the 2004-05 season as the assistant coach of both Eastern Illinois' men's and women's tennis programs, and picked up experience managing and providing instruction at summer tennis camps at both Eastern Illinois and Illinois.
Weber spent the spring of 2006 serving as the volunteer assistant coach for the ninth-ranked Fighting Illini, coordinating practice sessions, providing on-court instruction and match preparation, overseeing fitness and conditioning, as well as providing administrative support. At Illinois, he coached three All-Americans, including NCAA Doubles Champions Ryan Rowe and Kevin Anderson, and helped guide the team to the semifinals of the USTA/ITA National Indoors Tournament and to the "Sweet Sixteen" of the NCAA Tournament.
He then was an assistant coach for the University of Miami. Over his five years as an assistant coach for Miami, the Hurricanes had four players earn a total of eight All-America honors. In 2011, Weber helped guide the Hurricanes to a No. 27 ITA ranking and a fourth place finish in the Atlantic Coast Conference regular season. For his efforts he was named the 2011 ITA Southeast Region Assistant Coach of the Year before being named head coach for FGCU.
In addition to collegiate coaching, Weber has helped train a list of ATP tour players, including current ATP No. 14 Kevin Anderson, spending significant time preparing him for the 2011 Australian Open and the BB&T Open in 2012 and 2014. Following the 2015 season Weber continued working with Anderson, helping him prepare for the grass court circuit in England, where he made the finals of Queens and lost in a 5 set thriller to world No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the fourth round at Wimbledon. Weber also spent time with Anderson in preparation for this summer’s hard court season and the US Open Series. Prior to his work with Anderson, Weber traveled with retired ATP No. 174 Ryler Deheart to various tournaments, most notably Wimbledon, the US Open and the French Open from 2009-10.
In his inaugural season, Weber led the men’s tennis team to a sixth-place finish in the A-Sun, qualifying them for its first-ever A-SUN Tournament berth as they finished 7-10 overall and 4-5 in conference play. The Eagles had a winning record at home (6-5) and hosted their first-ever night match in front of 200-plus people beating Kennesaw State 4-3. Weber had two players named to the Atlantic Sun All-Freshmen team, a first for the program. Tianyu Bao was the first FGCU Eagle to be named the A-SUN Freshman of the Year and land on the All-Freshmen team, while Michael Beiler was honored to the All-Freshmen team as well.
In his second year at the helm, Weber guided the Green and Blue to an unprecedented number of program-firsts highlighted by their 4-3 win over tradition-rich Oklahoma State, fourth-place finish in conference play and first postseason victory after defeating USC Upstate in the 2013 A-Sun Tournament. Adding to the list of first-time successes, then sophomores Jordi Vives and Bao received All-Conference honors. Bao was a second-team member, while Vives was named to the All-Conference first team, the A-SUN All-Tournament team and an Academic All-Conference selection.
In his third season, Weber guided the Eagles to finish third in the conference and claim 12 wins. Highlighting the 2014 campaign was then-junior Vives, whom Weber led to become the first from FGCU to earn an Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) national rank - reaching a career-high No. 35, compile a nation-leading 14-match unbeaten streak and represent the Eagles in the NCAA Tournament for the first time, where he earned a win and advanced to the round of 32. Vives' success crowned him A-Sun Player of the Year and earned him spots on the All-Conference First Team, the A-Sun All-Tournament team and the Academic All-Conference squad. Bao was also named to the First-Team. Vives and Dean Tsamas earned the program's first regional ranking, appearing at No. 9 in the ITA Southeast Region.
Weber led the Eagles to an astounding 17-6 overall record in the spring of 2015 and a perfect 8-0 mark in conference play including other milestones. During the 2014-15 season, Weber's Eagles defeated four nationally-ranked opponents, most notably No. 71 Miami in February and capped the year with the program's first regular season title and tournament championship ring. Weber was later recognized by the ITA, being named the Southeast Region's Coach of the Year. FGCU had a total of six players win A-SUN All-Conference Awards including Vives (Player of the Year), Beiler (First Team) and Ricky Ventura (First Team). Second Team honorees included Vives and Eduardo Alfonzo in doubles as well as Austin Bates and Bao in singles. Bates was also named to the All-Freshmen Team. Ventura was also named the A-Sun Tournament MVP. The Eagles finished the year ranked sixth in the Southeast Region, the highest ranking in Division I history, as well as it's first national ranking at No. 75. Weber led the team to their first NCAA Tournament appearance before falling to UCLA in the first round.
FGCU repeated its regular-season title in 2016, finishing the year undefeated in conference play along with a 16-6 mark overall. Weber's Eagles again found themselves placed among the nation's best, climbing as high as No. 74 in the ITA Rankings over the course of the season. Facing a tough schedule featuring six NCAA Tournament team, the Eagles earned four wins against the nation's best. Weber was named the A-SUN Coach of the Year for the second time in as many seasons.
Adversity was the theme in 2016-17 as the Eagles faced numerous injuries, weather delays, and a tough schedule en route to their second NCAA Tournament appearance in three seasons. The Green and Blue were hampered by injuries throughout the season but hit their stride late in the year. The Eagles finished the regular season 8-12 and 3-3 in A-SUN play, facing the likes of Florida State, Miami, #29 South Alabama, #48 UCF and #34 Memphis. However, in the A-SUN Tournament, FGCU strung together three wins, including a semifinal victory over No. 1 UNF that concluded at 3:15 in the morning, to secure the program's second NCAA berth in three years.
With his great coaching experience with Eastern Illinois, Illinois and Miami, Weber has great potential for these young men for this season.
Helping out Weber this season is Lucas Vaz. Vaz enters his second season as assistant coach for Weber.
Hailing from Sao Pablo, Brazil, Vaz was a former tennis player for FGCU and was a dominate force for the team.
After spending his freshman year at Tulsa University, he transferred to FGCU from sophomore to senior year as an active player with an astonishing 65 career wins as well as becoming a member of the A-Sun All Second Team before becoming a student assistant for coach Weber.
Although Vaz is no longer a player on the team, his phenomenal experience as a coach will surely bring a lot to the table.
A new season means out with the old, in with the new.
The team lost Andy Alfonzo and Sam Chaffin as they graduated.
This year's team consists of two seniors, three juniors, one transfer and two sophomores.
The two seniors that have been a big part of FGCU are Austin Bates and Oliver Landert.
The first senior whom I consider to be the to be the voice of FGCU men's tennis is Austin Bates.
At 6-1 and hailing from Marietta, Georgia, Bates has more lung capacity than the city of Manhattan.
In his freshman year, Bates went all out. He went 6-2 in singles competition with a 3-0 record in conference and 6-5 with a 2-1 mark in doubles. He did so well that he was named to the Atlantic Sun All-Conference Second Team in singles and the A-Sun All-Freshman Team.
Unfortunately, he was unable to play his sophomore year and utilized a medical redshirt due to an injury, but his junior year was his redemption. Bates finished the season with a 6-7 overall record in singles, including two crucial wins in conference play. Bates began the season with a win in his first match in more than a year, defeating Grand Canyon’s Valentin Lang 6-4, 7-5 and followed with a victory over UC Irvine’s Bruce Man Song Hing 3-6, 6-2, 11-9. He then defeated Kennesaw State’s David Durham and Arkansas’ Austin Robles to finish the fall season and came back from 0-5 down in the second set against Stetson’s Coilin MacNamara to win 6-4, 7-6 and later defeated Lipscomb’s Jorge Ortega 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 to help FGCU clinch a spot in the A-SUN Tournament. Bates also went 6-9 in doubles with wins over George Washington and #48 UCF in the spring.
For the voice of FGCU men's tennis, I know Bates will go rampage on his opponents with more than just his voice.
The other senior whom I call FGCU's Swiss Superman is Oliver Landert.
Originally from Switzerland, the 6-0 senior, now residing in Naples, Florida, has tennis in his blood as his elder sister and new assistant coach. Alex, formerly played for FGCU's women's tennis team.
Prior to FGCU, Landert started his collegiate tennis career at Florida as a redshirt freshman. There he played against teams like then No. 4 UCLA and reached the semifinals in singles play at the USTA/ITA Southeast Regional Championships.
By sophomore year, Oliver transferred to FGCU and went wild. He tallied 31 total wins with a 3-1 record as No. 4 and a 7-4 record at No. 5. singles while winning all four of his A-SUN matches and was 3-0 in doubles. He earned A-SUN Second Team honors for his hard work.
By junior year, Landert finished the season 11-22 in singles and 17-16 in doubles. Landert began the spring with wins over Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman. He defeated Xavier’s Matt Bishop, claimed a victory over USC Upstate’s Ankush Arora in the A-SUN Quarterfinals.
Landert is still to me considered the Swiss Superman and I know there is no kryptonite that will stop him.
To backup the seniors, three juniors come into play: Javier Fernandez, Ezequiel Cerrini and Mateo Ruiz.
The first of three juniors with the speed of a Japanese bullet train is Javier "Javi" Fernandez.
The 5-8 sophomore from Ibiza, Spain is really fast in his game.
In his freshman year, Fernandez struck like a napalm strike. He tallied 15 singles wins including a perfect 6-0 mark in A-SUN play, playing mainly as the No. 5 and No. 6 on the court. He helped the team clinch the regular season with a win over Stetson and compiled 9-6 record in doubles. Fernandez was so phenomenal that he was named A-Sun’s Freshman of the Year and earned A-Sun Second Team and A-Sun All-Freshman Team honors.
In his sophomore year, Fernanadez won 11 matches in the fall, including victories over FAU, Florida State, Duke, UCF, and UNF. He won eight of his final nine matches to end the season, beginning with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Pierre Fossier of Stetson (3/23), followed with the first of two wins over Jonathan Deautreill (3/25). After a loss to USC Upstate, Fernandez won his final six matches (remaining two matches were unfinished), including clinching FGCU’s semifinal win over No. 1 UNF (4/22), defeated George Wong in the A-SUN Final 6-1, 6-0, claimed a first set win over #15 Florida’s Johannes Ingildsen, claimed 11 doubles wins, nine during the dual season, went 7-5 in doubles with four wins in the final six matches and won every match during the A-SUN Tournament. Fernandez paired with Bates to defeat Wisconsin’s Osgar O’Hoisin and Darius Mackenzie in the Spring Invitational. He remained a vital part of the lineup earning Second Team All-Conference honors with a 23-16 record overall and a 5-1 record in A-SUN play and was later named to the ASUN All-Tournament Team.
With his speed, Fernanadez is going to turn heads again
The second junior on the men's tennis team is Ezequiel "Eze" Cerrini.
Originally from Argentina and now residing in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, the 6-0 junior has a serve that can take out a tank.
In his freshman year, Cerrini made an immediate impact playing as the No. 5 and No. 6 singles before playing the No. 2 singles. There he had 13 wins in singles and five in doubles. Because of his success, he was named to the A-SUN All-Freshman team.
Following an impressive freshman season with a 16-19 record in singles play and 12 more victories in doubles action. Cerrini won six of his first eight singles matches of the fall, defeating opponents from FAU, USF, UC San Diego, USC, UC Irvine and Florida State, went 4-2 in conference action, with wins against Stetson, USC Upstate, NJIT, and Kennesaw State, settled into the No. 4 spot, where he produced a 7-3 record, including a win in the A-SUN Tournament Championship over Daniel Cardenas. Cerrini partnered primarily with Andres Alfonzo at No. 2 doubles, producing a 5-6 record at that spot and a 5-11 mark overall … The duo went 2-1 in the A-SUN Tournament, including a vital win over No. 1 UNF in the semifinals that put the Eagles in front 1-0 in the match. Cerrini did so well that he earn A-SUN Second Team All-Conference honors.
Cerrini is surely going to make impact again for the team.
The last true junior on the team is Mateo Ruiz.
At 6-1 and hailing from from Bucaramanga, Colombia has came with a goal to make it to the top.
Prior to FGCU, Ruiz played his freshman year at Oklahoma State University. There he went 1-2 in singles.
After transferring to FGCU for his sophomore year, Ruiz got more time to play. Mainly playing at the No. 3 Singles, Ruiz went 13-16 in singles and 14-13 in doubles in his first season as an Eagle and picked up a vital win against No. 1 UNF in the A-SUN semifinals over #123 Jefta Kecic (April 22) teaming with Javier Fernandez to post a 7-5 record in doubles, the duo earned wins over Tennessee Tech (Feb. 18), NJIT (April 1), and Lipscomb (April 8) and won every match during the A-SUN Tournament, ending the season winning four of their last six matches.
For Ruiz, he's a great force for the team.
FGCU managed to ink a transfer for the team: Felipe "Feli" Escobar.
Prior to FGCU, Escobar played two matches at Texas Christian University. He went 0-2 in both one singles match and one doubles match.
Escobar joins FGCU as a junior and will have two years of eligibility remaining, but I know he can make his way to the top.
The lone true sophomore that I always tell to use his height to his advantage is Felipe "Pipe" Ramirez.
At 6-1 and hailing from Armenia, Colombia, Ramirez came as a wildcard for the men's team.
In his freshman year, Ramirez made an instant impact after becoming eligible in the spring and rose from No. 4 in the lineup to the top spot in both doubles and singles. Ramirez recorded an 11-6 record in singles and a 9-8 record in doubles, teaming mainly with Landert and Cerrini. Ramirez defeated Lipscomb’s #118 Rob Mitchell to in the A-SUN Final to clinch FGCU’s second NCAA Tournament berth in three seasons. Ramirez did so well that he earned A-SUN Freshman of the Year honors, a spot on the A-SUN All-Conference First Team, and A-SUN All-Freshman Team accolades and a spot on the A-SUN All-Tournament Team.
For Ramirez, I know he'll use his height and power to his advantage and make more impact.
The last member on the team is Juan Montes.
At 6-1 and hailing from Pereira, Colombia, Montes come with professional experience.
Prior to FGCU, Montes played professionally. He was ranked No. 1654 in the ATP ranking and, at one point, went as high as No. 1286 in the standings and secured eight ATP points throughout his amateur career while winning one futures competition in doubles and made it to the finals twice.
Montes is listed as a sophomore, but will sit out this season due to playing pro one year outside of the six-month window. He will have two years of eligibility remaining, but I know he will be a strong force for the team next year.
I have hung around so many men's tennis players and I have seen the fire and passion they possess.
For this season, I know that they will give all the teams what they got. No matter the outcome, they will do just fine this season. Below are a few personal photos with me and some of the tennis players.
PC: FGCUAthletics.com for individuals players
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