2021 Season Preview: Combo of Experience and Youth Defines Men's Tennis

3/19/2021 1:55:00 PM | By: Joe Ginley '16, SID

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Just as for every team in a year defined by COVID-19, the John Carroll University Men's Tennis squad will confront unique challenges.

For the Blue Streaks, with a shortened schedule, time is limited to test lineups and gel as a team. But with Head Coach Sean Keenan at the helm, the Blue Streaks are in good hands.

Under the 12-year JCU vet, the Blue Streaks have captured five straight Ohio Athletic Conference Championships. This year, the goals are no less.

"Our main goal is to win the OAC Championship," said Keenan. "I want to see them get better over the course of the season and get in the right frame of mind for a full season next year. I want to see them excited to come back in August, and get better and prepared for the full season."

The Blue Streaks are blessed with several strong leaders.

Andy Sicliano, Andrew Triner, Parker Holyn, and Doug Moore are chief amongst them as strong seniors.

Siciliano will be a key team leader for the Blue and Gold.

"Andy is a great leader, I'm excited to have him back on the team," said Keenan. "He embodies everything we look for in a student-athlete, including having very good grades."

Mark Beebe returns for his junior campaign, while Nathan Palinkas and Isaac Palinkas will come back as sophomores. Alvaro Estrada Rosabal, a Costa Rican native, is another Blue Streak who Keenan will be keeping a close eye on.

Logan Langovsky and Grant Sarnowski are exciting newcomers for the Blue Streaks. The freshmen will figure heavily into JCU's plans this spring.

"It'll be tough to know who to play and when. We'll have more depth," Keenan said. "So it'll be a bit of a problem fitting out who fits where, but we'll make it work."

Typically, the Blue Streaks will play a month-long fall schedule and then open up spring with a grueling schedule against difficult squads. This year, the Blue Streaks will launch straight into conference play.

"I haven't been able to see them play as much. Normally, we play a very tough schedule, and that gives me what I need to pick the team and it gives them what they need to compete well," said Keenan. "This year, we'll wing it between feedback from our players and coaches. Hopefully in the first few matches, we'll get a sense of where everyone is and we probably won't have too many changes because we only have seven matches. We'll compete as hard as we can and go for it. It'll be fun."

John Carroll's season opens at Marietta on the road on Saturday.

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