TENNIS
FALL 2018 NEWSLETTER
rs. last yea e , h y t t i r n e u year es ov omm g chang third and final is ennis C n i T t a M n i c U fas the tenn Dear A through lly moved into hat, the first t g f n i o o p g o t my ccessfu as been I. On h, I had g AUM h w, AUM has su AA Division I u o h t l M. I am . A o C ff U n N a k t A s o t t t h a g g n mi year achi NAIA ride As you n from s within the co e my first full with a lot of p t o i t i s n a v a of the tr as had change 8, this will ha is opportunity itions. With th 1 h h d 0 t a 2 um r e t a f progr is comm pring o ition and I tak nis legacy and s n n e e h t t e n h s i season o be in this po remendous ten nities within t u t t t r ’s d o e opp AUM honor uphold t to create new tionships. o t e s i rela ave met wan prom h n e o I s h , l t a L g I A n id, stre nery, being sa establish and ontgom meet former Se M & e r AUM nnis ty to nity and d our te ld rived to the opportuni e r t a r o I p t p n i have su ave had e mome nt to bu , Since th dly people. I h nd people who people as I wa rs o ni, don s re rien rs a f o e m y d u m a l n l t a a p e e e s , AUM t AUM Tenni k tenni . I hope to m very nic m w a a r g h r o a r p W firs y ars M ator and hrough the ye een myself, m re starting our es of AU c a f w t a e w t e n program elationship be this reason, w iliar with the r r m o a g f F n get etc. a stro onsors, ou enjoy it and p s , r e t s boo ope y ter. I h t e ys, l s w e N , as alwa d n a t r ppo Tennis. inued su t n o c e h ou for t !! Thank y KS RHAW GO WA h s, M.A. is Coac o l n e n u e n T a ’s Yair B y omen n’s & W at Montgomer e M d a y He t i s Univer Auburn
AUM TENNIS FALL REVIEW The Auburn Montgomery men’s and women’s tennis teams wrapped up their Fall season last week, taking part in the ITA Regional Championships hosted by Florida Southern on Sept. 21-24 followed by the Gulf South Conference Fall Tennis Open from Oct. 26-28. Entering his second season as the head coach of the Warhawks, Yair Banuelos saw his programs make positive strides heading into the Spring season. “I think at the Fall ITA that we didn’t play our best tennis, but it was the first tournament of the year,” said Banuelos. “We have been working differently than last year, being more hands on and we’re looking to improve on a lot of individual things with the players.” The ITA saw Alvaro Terron and Francisco Jimenez saw win their opening matches before falling in the second round of the event. Eban Straker-Meads lost his opening round match but reached the consolation round finals where he was forced to retire. On the women’s side newcomer Svenja Petri won her opening round match but fell in the second round. Alba De La Torre, Sofia Navarro, Tonja Foessmeier and Julia Enderink all dropped their opening round match but won the first match of the consolation rounds. Each would drop their quarterfinals match. “I feel we had good performances, but not the best results, definitely not the results we wanted overall,” added Banuelos. “We have a couple of players that stood out from everyone at the ITA, but in the GSC Tournament that is when we saw the hard work pay off.” The GSC saw the women’s squad doubles teams reach the finals of the championship and consolation rounds of flights A and C. Individually Enderink won her flight while Foessmeier, De La Torre and Sofia Mustre all fell in the championship finals. Navarro dropped her opening match but won the consolation flight championship for Flight C. On the men’s side Santiago Veglia won the Flight D individual championship while the team of Jimenez and Veglia won the Flight B doubles crown. Giovanni Bellio dropped his opening round contest before earning three victories to win the Flight F consolation round.
“We competed well at the GSC,” said Banuelos. “The performances and results were much better, however we still need to clean a few spots. We’re working on getting better chemistry with the doubles teams, trying different pairings. Overall, especially with the GSC Tournament, I felt confident in the season and we’re leaving the fall with a really good feeling about what we can do next season.” Here is complete list of AUM’s results from the Fall. Men’s ITA Results Alvaro Terron defeated Daniel Del Val (Montevallo) 6-4, 6-1 Juan Motta (UWF) defeated Terron 7-6, 6-2 Marcus Lind fell to Andres Donayre (Embry-Riddle) 7-5, 6-1 Lind fell to Robin Calais (Lynn) 6-2, 6-1 Eban Straker-Meads fell to Xavi Pineda (VSU) 6-3, 7-5 Straker-Meads defeats Juan Cabrera (UWF) 7-6, 6-3 Straker-Meads defeated Bruno Faletto (Saint Leo) 6-4, 6-1 Straker-Meads retired against Georg Trompler (Montevallo) 6-3, ret. Giovanni Bellio fell to Lucas Sanchez (UWF) 6-3, 6-0 Bellio fell to Guilhermo Nicholas (Rollins) 6-3, 6-1. Francisco Jimenez defeated Victor Ahlbeck (Florida Southern) 6-2, 6-2 Jimenez fell to Piere Montrieul* (Barry) 3-6, 6-1, 10-7 Doubles Terron/Straker-Meads defeated Shkrob/Galvao (UWF) 9-7 Terron/Straker-Meads defeated Faletto/Mensour (Saint Leo) 8-6 Terron/Straker-Meads fell to Holthey/Kaverinen (UWA) 8-3 Veglia/Garcia fell to Silva/Hasegawa (PBA) 8-6 Veglia/Garcia defeated Babic/Kunz (Saint Leo) by default Veglia/Garcia defeated Louisy/Burch (FIT) 8-3 Veglia/Garcia fell to Caddies/Nutz (UAH) 8-3
Women’s ITA Results
Doubles
Alba De La Torre fell to Maria Escude (FIT) 6-1, 7-6 De La Torre defeated Daniella Barta (VSU) 6-3, 6-3 De La Torre fell to Aleksandra Durzynski (Rollins) 6-2, 4-6, 10-5
Navarro/Enderink fell to Buchbinder/Russu (PBA) 8-4 Navarro/Enderink defeated Mehlich/Kirchtag (UAH) 8-4 Navarro/Enderink fell to Krvajics/Wood (ERAU) 9-7 - semifinals
Sofia Navarro fell to Katie Dyson (Rollins) 6-2, 6-0 Navarro defeated Ivana Djordevic (NSU) due to injury Navarro fell to Presley Thomas (UAH) 6-4, 6-2.
Petri/Mustre fell to Stearman/Thomas (UAH) 8-4 Petri/Mustre fell to Widdershoven/Barta (VSU) 8-6
Svenja Petri defeated Georgina Wood (ERAU) 6-7, 6-4, 10-8 Petri fell to Marta Vicens Miquel (Saint Leo) 7-5, 3-6, 10-8 Tonja Foessmeier fell to Selin Devrimci (FSC) 2-6, 7-6, 10-5 Foessmeier defeated Teresa Kaiser (Rollins) 6-3, 6-3 Foessmeier fell to Emily Beatty (Montevallo) 6-2, 6-1 Julia Enderink fell to Minnie Kim (FSC) 6-1, 6-2 Enderink defeated Kaitlynn Groves (Rollins) 7-5, 4-6, 12-10 Enderink fell to Halna Franco (UWA) 6-0, 6-2
Gulf South Conference Fall Championships - Men Alvaro Terron defated George Trompler (Montevallo) 6-4, 0-6, 13-11 Terron defeated Paul Chabaud (CBU) 6-1, 6-7 (4), 1-0 (3) Terron fell to Serdar Bojadjiev (UWF) 6-2, 6-1 Eban Straker-Meads defeated Juan Cabrera (UWF) 6-3, 7-5 Straker-Meads defeated Francois Le Tallec (MC) 6-1, 6-4 Straker-Meads fell to Xavi Pineda (VSU) 7-6, 2-6, 1-0 (*) in the flight championship
Francisco Jimenez defeated Axel Holm (VSU) 4-6, 6-4, 1-0 (8) Doubles Jimenez defeated Leo De Sousa (DSU) 6-4, 6-2 Jimenez fell to Tanguy David (Montevallo) 7-5, 6-1 in the flight Terron/Straker-Meads defeated Chabaud/Gebhard (CBU) 8-2 championship Terron/Straker-Meads fell to Kaverinen/Holthey (UWA) 8-4 Terron/Straker-Meads fell to Bloomer/Dahlin (Montevallo) 8-3 Santiago Veglia defeated Brady McDaniel (MC) 6-3, 6-2 Veglia defeated Gavin Salton (Montevallo) 6-4, 6-3 Jimenez/Veglia defeated Hall/Christen (UAH) 8-3 Veglia defeated Illia Dehodiuk (UWA) 7-5, 6-4 Jimenez/Veglia defeated De Sousa/Schmitz (DSU) 8-7 (3) Veglia defeated defeated Lucas Sanchez (UWF) 6-1, 6-4 to win the Jimenez/Veglia defeated Johansen/Nordblom (UWA) 8-7 (1) – Flight Flight D Championship B Champions Jose Eduardo Garcia defeated Marvin Gebhardt (CBU) 6-2, 6-2 Garcia fell to Sergi Martinez (Montevallo) 6-4, 3-6, 1-0 (7) Giovanni Bellio fell to Andres Calzacorta (CBU) 3-6, 6-4, 1-0 (6) Bellio defeated Ben Jarvis (MC) 6-4, 6-3 Bellio defeated Giuliano Annetta 6-4, 6-2 to win the Flight F Consolation
Bellio/Lind defeated Coleta/Pring (UAH) 8-6 Bellio/Lind defeated McDaniel/Jarvis (MC) 8-2 Bellio/Lind fell to Dehodiuk/Sinkko (UWA) 8-6
Gulf South Conference Fall Championships – Women
Doubles
Svenja Petri defeated Melinda Chrun (Shorter) 6-2, 6-1 Petri defeated Haina Franco (UWA) by default Petri defeated Judith Aubets (CBU) 6-1, 6-2 Petri fell to Alisa Morozova (MC) 7-5, 2-6, 1-0 (8) in the flight championship
Julia Enderink/Sofia Navarro defeated Melinda Chrun/Ana Jovicic 8-1 Enderink/Navarro fell to Salom/ Tomassone (UWA) 8-3 Enderink/Navarro defeated Aubets/Brazuelo (CBU) 8-6 Enderink/Navarro defeated Kimball/Roberts (MC) 8-5 Enderink/Navarro fell to Beatty/Leu (Montevallo) 8-7 in the consolation flight championship
Tonja Foessmeier defeated Sofia Soltis (UWG) 6-2, 6-0 Foessmeier defeated Daryna Gukaysan (UWA) 6-1, 6-3 Tonja Foessmeier/Sofia Mustre defeated Mulkey-Dayton/Overby Foessmeier defeated Aneta Golawska (MC) 4-6, 6-0 (8) Foessmeier fell to Fabialo Cardenas (DSU) 6-4, 6-1 in the flight (Shorter) 8-3 Foessmeier/Mustre defeated Garcia/Gautreaux (Montevallo) 8-7 (3) championship Foessmeier/Mustre fell to Golawska/Cota (MC) 8-4 Sofia Navarro fell to Ann-Christine Leu 6-1, 4-6, 1-0 (4) Alba De La Torre/Svenja Petri defeated Owen/Deroode (DSU) 8-5 Navarro defeated Brook Kane () 6-1, 6-3 De La Torre/Petri defeated Lopez/Kirchtag (UAH) 8-5 Navarro defeated Presley Thomas () by default Navarro defeated Trammell () 6-4, 6-2 to win the the consolation De La Torre/Petri fell to Morozova/Bueno (MC) 8-4 in the championship final flight championship Alba De La Torre defeated Sierra Donaldson (Lee) 6-1, 6-3 De La Torre defeated Karolin Kirchtag (UAH) 7-5, 6-1 De La Torre defeated Amanda Gautreaux (Montevallo) 6-4, 6-2 De La Torre fell to Andrea Tomassone (UWA) 4-6, 6-4, 1-0 (9) in the flight championship Sofia Mustre defeated Alana Mulkey-Dayton (Shorter) 6-3, 1-6, 1-0 (6) Mustre defeated Whitney Hamilton (Montevallo) 6-2, 6-3 Mustre fell to Paulina Cota (MC) 7-6, 6-2 in the flight championship Julia Enderink defeated Lauren Pero (Montevallo) 6-3, 6-0 Enderink defeated Katie Burrall (UWA) 6-0, 6-1 Enderink defeated Rebecca Grace Kimball (MC) 2-6, 7-5, 1-0 (6) to win the flight championship
Yair Banuelos Inducted Into WNMU Hall Of Fame Auburn Montgomery’s head men’s and women’s tennis coach Yair Banuelos was in inducted into the Western New Mexico University Athletics Hall of Fame earlier this month, for his contributions to the tennis programs as a player and coach for the Mustangs. “This was a great recognition for the effort and sacrifices of me and my family,” Banuelos said. “My time as a student-athlete was full of great memories with my teammates through the years and I am proud of the success we had. I will always appreciate the time I spent at Western New Mexico as both a student-athlete and as a coach. I am honored to have been chosen for the Hall of Fame.” Banuelos helped start what has become one of the top tennis programs in the nation, collecting a multitude of conference titles and appearances in regional and national play. The Mexico City, Mexico native starred for the Mustangs during his time on the court after transferring from Riverside Community College. In his first season at WNMU, he was named the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Player of the Week once, All-RMAC First-Team Singles and All-RMAC First-Team Doubles and RMAC Player of the Year. He won 13 singles matches and added 19 doubles victories. His team won the regular season and conference tournament crowns, qualifying them for the national tournament where they made it to the round of 16. He also won the fall ITA regional individual title and finished in 4th place of the individual national tournament. In his final season, he was named the Senior Player of the Year in the Region. Additionally, he was the RMAC Honor Student-Athlete of the Year as he went a perfect 6-0 in singles and doubles play in the RMAC, was named to the AllRMAC Singles First-Team, All-RMAC Doubles Second-Team, and RMAC FirstTeam All-Academic. He finished the 2011 campaign with a 13-6 record in singles and 19-6 in doubles. In his final 13 doubles matches he went an astonishing 12-1. The only loss came against No. 10 Columbus State in the NCAA National Championship quarterfinals. He finished his two-year run with the Mustangs tallying 26 singles wins and 38 doubles victories, playing almost exclusively at the top flight. Coach Banuelos was then appointed as the graduate assistant coach for two years. He helped guide the men’s teams to two more RMAC regular season and conference tournament championships. He also helped the women’s team win the RMAC conference title twice, with the first time ever in the program’s history in 2012.
Coach Banuelos moved from graduate assistant to head coach during the 201314 season. In his first campaign leading the Mustangs, the men again swept the RMAC regular season and tournament titles with perfect 5-0 and 2-0 records. During the past five years in which WNMU has won both titles the team has gone an unprecedented 28-0 in the regular season and 10-0 in tournament play. The women nearly won both the RMAC regular season and tournament titles finishing second and coming up just one point short of the tournament crown. His second year saw great success, while helping the women back to another RMAC title. He once again guided the Mustangs to the top in 2014-15, with both teams taking the RMAC regular season and tournament titles. He was named the RMAC Women’s Coach of the Year. The men rolled to both their sixth straight RMAC regular season and tournament titles. The women won three of the past four tournament titles and two of the past four regular season crowns. Each team advanced to the NCAA South Central Regional, with the men nearly defeating St. Edward’s and advancing to the Sweet 16. RMAC Academic and Player of the Year Ganna Tiurina concluded her year and career in style with both honors. The men ended the season ranked No. 27 by ITA. Coach Banuelos had his top winning season with the men’s team during the 2015-16 season compiling 15 wins that had the team secure their seventh straight RMAC regular season and tournament crowns. With the Mustangs now moving to the Lone Star Conference, they finish their historic seven-year run in the RMAC with a 37-0 regular season mark and 14-0 in tournament matches during that stretch. The men came away with some big victories against Point Loma and St. Edward’s during the season. The women tallied nine wins and came on strong defeating both MSU Denver and Colorado Mesa in the tournament to take the title for the fourth time in the past five years. Six players landed on the Academic All-RMAC squads and the Mustangs won nearly every All-RMAC Conference award possible with most of the team landing on first, second or honorable mention teams. Jean-Laurent Pageault was ranked in the top-50 nationally throughout the season and was ranked as high as 43rd toward the end of the season. He completed his final year leading the men to 13 wins, including conference victories over Midwestern State and UT Permian Basin, while qualifying for regionals once again facing St. Mary’s. He led Liam Fraboulet to top 15 in the nation, led the doubles pair of Tristan DaLio/Vladimir Gnilozubov to top 3 in the nation and All-American status. Additionally, he ended his career with the Mustangs being named ITA Coach of the Year for the South Central Region.
Diaz To Return To AUM As Graduate Assistant Three-time All-American and former Warhawk Paula Diaz has been named the graduate assistant coach for men’s and women’s tennis with Auburn Montgomery, it was announced today by head coach Yair Banuelos. “I am very thrilled to add Paula to my coaching staff,” said Banuelos. “She had a very successful career as a student-athlete here at AUM, including a national championship. Her work ethic and experience will help us achieve our goals.” Diaz, who was named a NAIA First-Team All-American in 2015 and 2016, returns to AUM after spending the past two years working with CNN en Español, beginning as a segment producing intern before working her way up to becoming an associate producer. While working for CNN this past year she was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Morning Program in Spanish. “I am so thankful for the big opportunity that AUM has given me again,” said Diaz. “This is truly a blessing. I’d like to thank Director of Athletics Jessie Rosa and coach Yair (Banuelos) for choosing me. I feel I am coming back home.” In 2014 she earned second-team NAIA All-America honors while also being named the Southern States Athletic Conference’s Freshman of the Year. Diaz was also All-SSAC three consecutive years, leading the Warhawks to a NAIA National Championship victory in 2015 by earning the deciding point in the finals against Georgia Gwinnett. The Warhawks began the transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II during Diaz’s senior season in 2017, but the Barquisimeto, Venezuela, native finished the season ranked No. 19 in the South Region in helping lead the women’s tennis team to a No. 19 National Ranking as a team. “I will put all the experience I gained as an AUM player into my coaching, and together with coach Yair, I believe we will accomplish great things,” added Diaz. “I am super excited for this new stage, and I can’t wait to start practice, meet the team, and give all I can to make the team better.” A leader off the court as well, Diaz was the president of the Communications Club at AUM from 2016-17 and was vice president of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee during that same time. She was given a Certificate of Commendation from the city of Montgomery by Mayor Todd Strange in 2015 and earned was a member of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s All-Academic Team in 2015 and 2016. Diaz graduated from AUM in the Spring of 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in Communication, majoring in broadcast journalism with a minor in Spanish. She is planning on earning her master’s degree in business administration.
Hello ev eryone,
TENNIS
I am Pa ula Diaz tennis te , the ams here at Aubur new assistant co to 2017; n Montg ach for t Ia omery. I he AUM ten m sure some o p la f yed for A men’s and wome nis is ver you hav U e n’s y special to me, an seen me around M tennis from 2 0 . For ob d it is m y pleasu vious re 13 This firs r a e t s o t s o ns e time, be ason has be back. cause it b e e n v is my fir rience a st time c ery exciting and nother s oaching challeng i d e of this loving it college t ing . One of beautifu e n n is. I am g at the same l sport, a my goals results, a ett nd with as the ne nd push Coach Y ing to expew assista the play very goo air’s help nt ers to be df ,Ia better ev coach is to imp ing very eeling about the r e ove the t m ry day. C upcomin hard to a eam’s o cco g season to accom , and the ach Yair and I h plish the mplish their tea ave a playe mg m, anything is possib because with tea oals. I have no d rs have been tra inle. o m chem istry, har ubt they will be d a b w le ork, and As you c d e d i c a tion an see o will be p n our sc laying a h e d lo u t supporti le, we ar ng us du of home matche e very ex s. That b ring the eing said cited to announ Spring s emester. , I can’t w c Regards ait to see e we , you all Paula Di az Assistan t Men’s & W Auburn Universit omen’s Tennis C y oach Office: 3 34-244-3 at Montgomery 448
2019 AUM TENNIS SCHEDULE Date Opponent 1/25 at Troy University (Exhibition) 2/1 Middle Georgia State 2/2 Spring Hill College 2/8 at Christian Brothers* 2/12 at Shorter University* 2/15 at Florida Southern 2/17 at Augusta University 2/22 West Florida* 2/27 West Georgia* 3/4 Nova Southeastern 3/6 Columbus State 3/9 at Jackson State 3/11 vs. St. Mary’s University 3/11 vs. Southwest Baptist 3/12 vs. St. Mary’s University 3/12 vs. Texas A&M Kingsville 3/13 vs. Laredo Community College 3/13 vs. Tarleton State 3/14 vs. University of Hawaii Hilo 3/14 vs. St. Edwards University 3/19 Southern Arkansas 3/22 St. Edwards University 3/23 Alabama Huntsville* 3/30 at Mississippi College* 4/7 at Delta State* TBA Valdosta State* 4/13 Lee University* 4/20 West Alabama* 4/24 Montevallo*
Teams M M+W M+W M+W M+W M+W M+W M+W W W M+W M+W W M M W M W M W M+W M M+W M+W M+W M+W M+W M+W M+W
Location Troy, AL Montgomery, AL Montgomery, AL Memphis, TN Rome, GA Pensacola, FL Augusta, GA Montgomery, AL Montgomery, AL Pensacola, FL Montgomery, AL Jackson, MS San Antonio, TX San Antonio, TX San Antonio, TX San Antonio, TX San Antonio, TX San Antonio, TX San Antonio, TX San Antonio, TX Montgomery, AL Montgomery, AL Montgomery, AL Clinton, MS Cleveland, MS Montgomery, AL Montgomery, AL Montgomery, AL Montevallo, AL
* - Gulf South Conference Match All Times Central
Time 2:00 pm 1:00 pm 10:00 am 4:00 pm 1:00 pm 1:00 pm 12:00 pm 1:00 pm 2:00 pm 2:00 pm 1:00 pm 2:00 pm 9:00 am 9:30 am 9:00 am 9:30 am 9:30 am 9:30 am 9:30 am 1:30 pm 1:00 pm 11:00 am 12:00 pm 1:00 pm 10:00 am TBA 12:00 pm 2:00 pm 2:00 pm
THE WARHAWKS
Alba De La Torre
Julia Enderink
Tonja Foessmeier
Sofia Mustre
Giovanni Bellio
Jose Garcia
Francisco Jimenez
Marcus Lind
Eban Straker-Meads
Alvaro Terron
Santiago Veglia
Curtiss
Sofia Navarro
Svenja Petri
Tennis is a lifetime sport, which has many benefits to a person’s mind and body. In tennis, all people have different needs and abilities and deserve an opportunity to participate in a program specifically targeted to develop their skills while ultimately developing skills that aid the person in attaining improved quality of life. AUM Tennis is proud to work with Dream Court, and encourages everybody to visit their website at www.DreamCourt.org