NCAA Tournament Tuesdays: 2007 Men's Tennis

2007 Men’s Tennis
The 2007 season seemed to be one of rebuilding and regrowth. With the success of the outstanding 2006 season behind them, the departure of three seniors left gaping holes and positions to be filled within the team. During the off-season, the Hurricanes recruited fresh talent who had the potential to make this young team something to celebrate. Prior to the Tournament, the 2007 Hurricanes recorded an 11-win season, which sent the Canes to their 23^rd trip to the NCAA Tournament since 1977. The seven underclassmen that made up the majority of the team flourished under the tutelage of senior standouts Luigi D’Agord and Josh Cohen, who helped guide them through a spectacular regular season and to another berth in the NCAA Tournament. The Hurricane men’s tennis team was among the nation’s best, ranked as high as No.10 during the regular season.

The Canes saw an early exit in the NCAA Tournament when faced with the higher-ranked Tennessee Volunteers. The nail-biting competition came down to an intense three-set singles match between a pair of freshmen, which resulted in No. 34 Hurricanes losing to No. 25 Volunteers 3-4 in the first round. Although the Canes were defeated, the 2007 men’s tennis season is still considered a success. The young team was able to unite and accomplish great victories over prodigious opponents, such as the victory over No. 17 Rice and the win against Georgia Tech during the ACC Tournament.

The 2007 tennis team didn’t just see success as a whole, but individually as well. After the NCAA Tournament, senior D’Agord and sophomore Daniel Vallverdu were invited to compete in the singles competition in the 2007 NCAA Division I Men’s Tennis Championships. Additionally, D’Agord was invited along with fellow senior Cohen to compete in the doubles portion of the 2007 NCAA Division I Men’s Tennis Championships. D’Agord’s accomplishments didn’t stop there, as all of his efforts were recognized when he was named the ACC Player of the Year. The 2007 team proved to be one with much talent and potential.

During the 2007 season, Mario Rincon led the Hurricanes to an 11-win season and berth 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 births since then.