The Hobart College tennis team will begin the 2009-10 season this Sat., Sept. 12, when the Statesmen take on St. Lawrence at 9 a.m. on Day 1 of the Flower City Invitational. Head Coach Carol Weymuller returns 10 veterans and welcomes three first-years into the mix.

Sophomores Matt Hursh, Kevin Bates, Walter Green, and Mike Kofman are all back on the courts after seeing significant playing time as rookies last season.

Hursh played six singles matches (3-3) and seven doubles matches (2-5), spending most of his time at sixth singles and first doubles. After working hard to improve all summer, he's on track to become one of the top-3 players in the lineup this fall.

Green will also move up the line this season. He played 17 singles matches in 2008-09, 14 in the No. 6 spot (4-10), and saw time in nine doubles matches, all at No. 2 (1-8). This year, he's expected to compete in the middle of the lineup.

Kofman and Bates, along with junior Matt Chin, are making it tough for Weymuller to determine the rest of the top-6. Last season, Kofman played 17 singles matches, mostly at No. 5 (2-11), and 18 doubles matches (6-11 at No. 3). Bates spent most of the year at No. 3 singles (3-12) and second doubles (2-12), while Chin (5-6) saw most of his time in doubles action. All three are challenging for a starting nod.

First-years Bruce Grant and Alex James have had an impressive preseason, and both have jumped into the fray for a spot in the top half of Hobart's lineup. Grant will likely lead the Statesmen at first or second singles, while James will probably fit in somewhere between No. 2 and No. 4.

Two of the top players from last year, sophomore Kevin Kent and junior Harry King are currently out of the running. Kent, an All-Liberty League selection who played first singles (4-13) in 2008-09, is coming back from an injury, and will add strength to the lineup when healthy. King is abroad for the fall semester.

First-year Peter Cruice, sophomores Keith Daigle and Alex Sipilief, and senior Guillaume Etlin will add depth and continue to challenge for playing time.