NCAA Tournament Tuesdays: 2009 Men's Tennis
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2009 Men’s Tennis The Hurricanes entered the NCAA Tournament as the No. 22 team in the nation, led by seniors David Rosenfield and Daniel Vallverdu. In the tournament, Miami was able to cruise past No. 53 Columbia University in the first round with a 4-0 victory. In the second round, the Hurricanes found themselves down early, 0-3, against No. 10 Florida Gators. With their backs against the wall, the Hurricanes pulled off a miraculous comeback. Winning four straight matches, they defeated the better-ranked Gators 4-3. This victory proved to be a true testament to their determination. The Hurricanes season came to a close, though, in the Round of 16 with a heartbreaking 7-1 loss to No. 7 UCLA Bruins. This was a team that was bound to some injuries during the regular season, yet really put together a successful run for the championship. Young freshman, Ignacio Taboasa, was able to put together a 23-win season as well as sophomore Keith Crowley, who pulled through with 23 victories and sophomore Carl Sundberg with 20 wins. The great camaraderie and performances from the players, paired with the exceptional coaching staff, led by Mario Rincon, provided a thrilling and triumphant season with a final record of 16-9 (9-2 in ACC play) and a No. 19 ranking. |
During the 2009 season, head coach Mario Rincon guided the Canes to a 16-win season with a Round of 16 finish in the NCAA Tournament. Rincon was a standout tennis player; he was recognized as an NCAA All- American in college, spent nine years on the ATP tour, as well as five years on the Japanese pro tour. Rincon took over the Miami men’s tennis program as head coach in 2004, leading the Hurricanes to four NCAA Tournament berths since then. |
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