Mocs Tennis Teams Host Steve Baras Fall Classic

  • Thursday, October 2, 2014
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga men’s and women’s tennis teams host the 32nd UTC Steve Baras Fall Classic this weekend at the Champions Club in Chattanooga.  The Mocs welcome top-flight competition for what is annually one of the best fall collegiate tournaments in the region. 

The men welcome Eastern Kentucky, Jacksonville State, Murray State, Covenant College, Belmont, Lipscomb, Tennessee Tech, Tennessee State and Tennessee. 

On the women’s side, UTC is joined by UAB, Eastern Kentucky, UT Martin, Lipscomb, Kennesaw State, Jacksonville State, Samford and Middle Tennessee. 

Competition begins at 8:00 a.m.
(E.D.T.) each day and runs Friday through Sunday.  Complete results will be available on GoMocs.com each day.  Full draws will be available Thursday on GoMocs.com. 

"We are really excited about the field for this year’s Baras Tournament,” stated men's tennis head coach Carlos Garcia.  “Each year we are able to attract some quality competition and this year’s field is no different.”

Coach Garcia’s group returns six of seven letter winners and five of six starters.  The Mocs are also working in five talented newcomers. 

Chattanooga is led by its lone senior Pavels Grigorjevs.  The Riga, Latvia, native was 6-6 at No. 1 last season and 12-17 overall.   

Returning juniors include Gino Delavalle (Rosario, Argentina), John Peacy (Emerald, Australia) and Luke Saunders (Halifax, Nova Scotia).  Saunders was 8-7 at No. 3, while Delavalle and Peacey went 7-7 and and 5-4 at No. 4 and No. 5, respectively. 

Sophomore letter winners Austin Boaz (Dunwoody, Ga.) and Derrick Brown (Marietta, Ga.) also return to the lineup.  They opened 2014 fall action with a doubles flight win at Mercer in September.   

New faces on the court this weekend include junior Nick Wingord (Buenos Aires, Argentina), sophomore Nic Wilson (Bristol, Tenn.) and freshmen Michael Birnbaum (Memphis, Tenn.) and Mason Grear (Murfreesboro, Tenn.). 

The women are coming off an excellent 18-5 season where they finished third in the Southern Conference.  They also return five of six starters and welcome back eight of nine letter winners.   

UTC is led by three seniors, Kaylene Chadwell (Franklin, Tenn.), Claire Mulyadi (Semarang, Indonesia) and Jovana Pecovski (Apatin, Serbia).  There are four juniors on the roster, including Kelsey Coots (Huntsville, Ala.), Kayla Jones (Memphis, Tenn.), Katie Polk (Woodstock, Ga.) and Alison Storie (Johnson City, Tenn.).

Rachele Gazzola (Palma de Mallorca, Spain) is the lone sophomore, while freshman Samantha Caswell (Lookout Mountain, Ga.) is the only newcomer.

Jones was a first team All-SoCon performer at No. 1 last season.  She led the Mocs with a 24-11 singles record.  She was 15-8 at No. 1 this spring and 7-2 in SoCon action. 

Jones was co-champion with Caswell in the top flight as the season-open USC Upstate Fall Classic in September.  They also teamed up to take the top doubles draw. 

Chadwell teamed with 2014 graduate and current assistant coach Alexa Flynn to earn first team All-SoCon doubles recognition.  They were 14-4 last year, including a 12-3 mark at No. 1 and 7-2 in SoCon action.  Mulyadi and Coots made the All-SoCon second team.  They were 9-3 as a pair in the spring and posted an 8-1 mark in league play.

“We are excited for the opportunity to play in front of our home fans and the Chattanooga community,” stated women’s tennis head coach Jeff Clark.  “This is a fun event at an excellent venue, and we look forward to hosting it each year.”

The Steve Baras Memorial Scholarship Endowment is set up in memory of former UTC men’s tennis player Steve Baras.  The annual recipient of the scholarship is a Business major who is also a member of the men’s or women’s tennis teams.  To learn more about the UTC’s scholarship endowment program, or to make a gift to the Baras Endowment, contact Senior Associate Athletics Director Andrew Horton at (423) 425-5285 or Andrew-horton@utc.edu.
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