2016 Season

7-12 Overall | 1-4 GPAC | Season Stats

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SEASON PREVIEW: youth movement infuses Concordia tennis with talent

At a glance

MEN
Head coach: Joel Reckewey (2nd year)
2015 record: 3-10, 1-4 GPAC (5th)
Key returners: Patricio Esquivel (Jr.); Javier Moreno (Jr.); Philip Yox (Jr.)
Key losses: Daniel Apacible; Brendan Buchanan; Jonathan Heckman; Jonathan Douglas

At a glance
WOMEN
Head coach: Joel Reckewey (2nd year)
2015 record: 5-11 overall, 4-3 GPAC (4th)
Key returners: Hannah Boe (So.); Alison Ebel (So.); Annie Horn (So.); Amanda vonSeggern (So.)
Key losses: Grace Hollenbeck; Elyse Kohl; Emily Meisinger
2015 GPAC All-Conference: Grace Hollenbeck (doubles); Elyse Kohl (doubles honorable mention); Emily Meisinger (singles honorable mention, doubles honorable mention)

Season Outlook
Head coach Joel Reckewey will bring new-look squads to the court in his second season at the helm of the program. Of the 22 Concordia men’s and women’s tennis players, 13 are new to the institution in 2015-16. The infusion of talent should provide a boost for programs that finished fourth (women) and fifth (men), respectively, in the conference last season.

This past offseason provided Reckewey, a former University of Nebraska letterwinner, his first chance to really dive head first into recruiting.

“I really enjoy the recruiting aspect,” Reckewey said. “It’s one of my favorite parts of the role – getting to meet people and getting to search out those athletes that will be a good fit for our program. I’m impressed with our recruits. We’re trying to build a high-level tennis program and be the best that we can be.”

The women suffer key losses with the graduation of Grace Hollenbeck and Elyse Kohl, who helped the Bulldogs to a 4-3 conference record in 2015. On the flip side, they return a strong group of sophomores led by Annie Horn, who spent nearly all of her freshman season at the No. 1 singles spot. Horn did her best work when pairing with Hollenbeck at No. 1 doubles (9-6 record).

Reckewey thinks another step forward is in order for Horn.

“I’m really excited for Annie’s opportunity,” Reckewey said. “I know that she’s been working really hard and that she’s excited. She’s in that top position again. That’s a lot of responsibility but she’s been a good role model and she’s helped pave the way for herself to do really well.”

Fellow sophomore Alison Ebel joins Horn as the two most experienced players on the roster. Ebel played in 14 singles matches and five doubles matches as a freshman in 2015. Other sophomores in Hannah Boe and Amanda vonSeggern will factor into the lineup.

Then there’s the large group of freshmen headed by Katelinn Wurm of Bradenton, Fla. Wurm is likely to play No. 2 behind Horn in the singles lineup. Wurm says Reckewey has helped her improve her game immensely since she arrived at Concordia this past fall.

“I didn’t notice a big transition just coming to college, but tennis-wise it was a big one,” Wurm said. “From playing in high school, we didn’t do as much as we do in college. I expected that. We didn’t exercise and do all that like we do here. I look at my play now and it’s 10 times better than I’ve ever played before. That was a big transition. I’ve learned so much in a short amount of time.”

Among the rookies, several others have the opportunity to see court time, including three Colorado natives in Anna Kenney (Sterling, Colo.), Hailey Lemos (Windsor, Colo.) and Kayla Smock (Sterling, Colo.). There are still plenty of unknowns, but Wurm says she’s noticed big gains over the past several months.

“It’s went up a lot,” Wurm said of the level of play in practice. “I remember the first practice when Coach goes, ‘For a few weeks we’re just going to be running. We’re not picking up a racket.’ To be honest, I never ran before in my life. I never did drills or anything. Going into these practices now second semester and getting to the point of matches, it’s a lot easier now. The level of play, the level of everything has gone up.”

On the men’s side, a quiet confidence is brewing. With the return of Morelia, Mexico, natives Javier Moreno and Patricio Esquivel along with reinforcements added in the offseason, the Bulldogs believe they will be much more competitive within the conference. Freshman Willy (Guillermo) Pardos of Pamplona, Spain, has risen to the No. 1 singles position while impressing Reckewey all offseason.

Pardos heads a list of seven freshmen. Another international recruit, Thomas Greeff of Pretoria, South Africa, has a shot to claim a spot in the top half of the singles lineup. He stands at 6-foot-4, just as freshman Gabe Poling of Chillicothe, Mo, does. Their additions have strengthened the entire lineup.

“We’ve brought in some very talented players,” Reckewey said. “Wily Pardos is a good player from Spain and we also have another guy, Thomas Greeff, from South Africa. We have some internationals coming in and a couple more local kids that are really going to have an opportunity to shine and show their stuff on the court. I think we’re going to be a stronger team because of it.”

Pardos, who is now fulfilling a dream of his in playing collegiate tennis in the United States, has gotten used to his new surroundings and has leaned upon the guidance of Esquivel, Moreno and junior Philip Yox – the team’s only three holdovers from 2015. That trio has helped bring along the large group of rookies.

“It’s a nice feeling because it would be really different if I was the only freshman on the team,” Pardos said. “It’s really worked out well. They are in the same situation. They didn’t know anyone coming in. The three upperclassmen – Javier, Patricio and Philip – have been great. They’ve talked about the previous seasons and what to expect. They’ve been really welcoming.”

Moreno and Esquivel appear set at the Nos. 2 and 4 singles positions, respectively. They were part of a squad that experienced rebuilding efforts in 2015 and now have two years of extensive experience. They should benefit from greater stability for a program that has had the same head coach for consecutive seasons for the first time since 2011-12.

While this year’s rosters are unusually youthful, Reckewey likes the direction things are moving.

“We have a lot of opportunity to improve,” Reckewey said. “We were kind of middle of the pack with both of those teams. I’m really confident about our teams this year. I think we have a lot of talent. We have hard-working players with positive attitudes. If we can come together we will have the opportunity to move up and I’d like to see us do that.”

Pardos isn’t yet familiar with the competition he’ll see in the GPAC, but then again, that same competition won’t know what to expect from Concordia. That could come as an advantage for the Bulldogs.

“Without any doubt our goal is to win the conference and go to nationals,” Pardos said. “I’m really motivated to do that and the team is pumped about it. I think we can make it happen. I don’t know the conference. I don’t know the level of the other teams. I do know we have options. They don’t know us because we are so new. I think we can do big things.”

Both Bulldog tennis teams will host Grand View University (Iowa) inside the Fieldhouse at 9 a.m. on Saturday.

View complete schedules:
MEN
WOMEN

New faces breathe new life into Bulldog tennis

Much has changed inside the Concordia University tennis programs since the Bulldogs last took the court at the GPAC championships in early May. While there’s plenty of roster turnover, stability in the form of second-year head coach Joel Reckewey provided a big boost to recruiting. Enter 13 new Bulldogs that come from far and wide.

Reckewey’s projected 2016 lineups are chalk full of freshmen who actually outnumber the group of returning players. The dynamics of a remade roster has sped up the need for team-bonding activities. The Bulldogs have held movie nights, watching such films as The Karate Kid, and typically eat together within Concordia’s close-knit campus community. Says freshman Katelinn Wurm, “Weird situations have brought us together.”

Wurm, a native of Bradenton, Fla., and Willy Pardos, who hails from Pamplona, Spain, are two of the more prominent newcomers to the 2016 Concordia lineups. Both are representative of a freshman class gaining traction as it finds its bearings amidst unfamiliar surroundings.

There’s new life in a program pulsating with a positive and energetic vibe. The play in practice has been elevated in obvious ways.

“It was a clear evolution,” Pardos said. “As we approach the first match I see that the whole team is taking practice very serious and working really hard. We’re doing things the right way.”

Wurm says that she’s “10 times better” than when she started her collegiate career at Concordia in the fall. Reckewey found Wurm through a recruiting website and expressed interest in The Sunshine State native. Wurm made a snap decision in a “wing it” moment and signed to be a Bulldog. The opportunity to crack the lineup right away played a role in her decision.

“It’s really exciting (to be able to play right away),” Wurm said. “That’s like the big thing when it came to recruiting. My main goal was to play. That’s what I wanted to come and do. Knowing that I’m able to do that is really exciting. Our match is coming up and I’m so thrilled. It’s amazing.”

While Wurm is unable to engage in one of her favorite hobbies – going to the beach – at Concordia, she’s found the small-town, Christian atmosphere to her liking.

“I do enjoy it. My hometown’s really big,” Wurm said. “Coming here it’s kind of nice knowing everybody. I rarely see any new faces anymore. You can walk somewhere and you see people and you can just talk to them. It’s not like I’m in a big campus or a big town and I don’t know anybody. I actually enjoy it.”

Pardos, who dreamed of playing collegiate tennis in the United States, admits that the cold winter weather cuts right through him. But the positives far outweigh the negatives for Concordia’s new No. 1 singles player. The guidance of upperclassmen such as Morelia, Mexico, natives Patricio Esquivel and Javier Moreno has increased Pardos’ comfort level.

“It’s really nice,” Pardos said. “Before coming here I didn’t expect to like a small college like this one. I really like the way we all go to the same place to eat. I have friends in most of my classes. It’s really cold, but I really like the life here.”

Wurms will concur. Even while enjoying moderate temperatures in Florida over the holiday break, she missed everything she had come to know during the first semester at Concordia. She was more than ready to return to Seward.

“I went back for break. I went (to the beach) a few days,” Wurm said. “I kind of enjoy it here, too. I wanted to come back here. It’s a little weird, but I have the whole summer to go back to the beach so it’s OK. It’s just a new transition.”

So far the transition has operated smoothly. The real tests begin this weekend when 2016 action gets underway. It’s time for Concordia to roll out a brand new team.

Says Reckewey, “I think we have a lot of talent. We have hard-working players with positive attitudes. If we can come together we will have the opportunity to move up and I’d like to see us do that.”

Bulldogs begin season with a victory

SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia men’s tennis team opened its season in the Walz Fieldhouse on Saturday. The Bulldogs found a 6-3 victory over Grand View University and move to 1-0 on the year. The Vikings fall to 0-6 this season.

Head coach Joel Reckewey said, “I was really impressed with the guys today. We’re playing at a high level. It was our first home match so to be playing that well is really exciting. I was impressed with the way we played. I think the young guys are stepping up, they don’t have enough experience but they love the game and love to come out and give it their all.”

Three new faces for Concordia tennis claimed victories in their singles and doubles matches. Willy Pardos, playing in the one spot, won 6-0, 6-2 over Jordan Feige. Pardos also found a 8-2 victory in his doubles match with partner Javier Moreno.

Doubles partners Gabe Poling and Thomas Greef defeated their opponents, 8-4 and then went on to win both of their singles matches. Greef swept Zach Martin, 6-0, 6-0 while Poling topped Diego Novoa 6-0, 6-1.

Also gaining a victory was Patricio Esquivel. The junior won over Ryan Gilbert 8-0.

Up next on the Concordia men’s tennis team’s slate is Omaha. The Bulldogs will travel to Omaha for a 5 p.m. start time on Jan. 29.

Bulldogs fall to Mavericks

OMAHA, Neb. – The Concordia men’s tennis team faced the University of Nebraska-Omaha Friday night. The Mavericks defeated the Bulldogs, 7-0 on their home courts in Omaha.

Concordia moves to 1-1 overall after while Omaha improves to 3-1 on the season.

Head coach Joel Reckewey said, “We fought and battled hard against a powerful team. I think our play shows us that we have a long way to go but we also have a lot of potential to play on a high level.”

In the No. 1 singles match, freshman Willy Pardos went to a tie breaker after going 6-3, 4-6 with Omaha’s Matt Dunn. The Mavericks ultimately grabbed the victory but coach Reckewey was proud of the fight from Pardos.

“We had strong and competitive efforts from our No. 1 and 2 singles positions and it is good for the team to see our highest numbers making it a close match,” Reckewey said.

Thomas Greef filled Concordia’s No. 2 spot and faced Alex Woodward. The freshman was bested in a tough 6-2, 6-3 match.

The Concordia men’s tennis team will return to action Feb. 5 in Liberty, Mo. The Bulldogs will face William Jewell College with first serve slated for 11 a.m.

Men's tennis drops match in Missouri

LIBERTY, Mo. – On Friday afternoon, the Concordia men’s tennis team was handed a loss by William Jewell College, 6-3. The Bulldogs are now 1-2 on the season while the Cardinals move to 2-2.

Head coach Joel Reckewey said, “Our men’s tennis team had a strong effort out on the court today and we pulled off some big wins against a very talented team in singles. It was nice to see the guys competing at a high level. We were a little disappointed that we didn’t win the match overall, but we did see some positive strides in the right direction. The effort that we’re putting out on the court shows that.”

The Bulldogs’ three wins all came in the singles matches. Willy Pardos has won two of his three singles matches after defeating his opponent 6-0, 6-2 today.

Javier Moreno and Gabriel Poling both won matches in tie breakers. Moreno claimed a 6-2, 5-7, 10-1 victory while Poling won 6-3, 2-6, 10-3.

The Bulldogs will return to the court tomorrow as they take on Baker University in Lincoln, Neb. The match is set to begin at Noon.

Pardos defeats fifth-ranked Wildcat

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Concordia men’s tennis team went up against Baker University on Saturday. The Bulldogs were defeated 7-2 by the Wildcats.

Concordia moves to 1-3 on the season. Baker is 1-0 after its victory.

Head coach Joel Reckewey said, “The men’s match was the most exciting match of the season. Our top two singles players were victorious. I was such a magical moment when Willy Pardos won his match against the No. 5 ranked tennis player in the country. The entire team rallied behind Willy in the fantastic third set, 10 point victory. Everyone celebrated. It was very exciting.”

Freshman Willy Pardos defeated Spartak Rahachou who is ranked fifth nationally. Pardos and Rahacou had to play extra to determine the winner. The match was decided 3-6, 7-5, 10-4 in favor of Pardos. This marks the freshman’s third win of the season with his only loss coming from an NCAA Division I athlete. That match went long also.

Also winning in the singles matches was Thomas Greef who defeated Blake Barnard, 6-3, 6-2.Barnard is ranked 47th in the nation and 10th in his region.

The Bulldogs will be back in action on Feb. 12 as they take on Ottawa University in Lincoln, Neb. 

Men's tennis claims a 7-2 victory

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Concordia men’s tennis team claimed a 7-2 victory over Ottawa University on Friday. Two Bulldogs won singles matches in a third set to aid the triumph.

Concordia moves to 2-3 this season while Ottawa falls to 0-5.

Head coach Joel Reckewey said, “We had strong performances form all the players which resulted in a convincing win for the team. We had strong effort coming from behind in close matches to come back to win. That really showed resilience and a positive step in the right direction.”

The top five singles players for Concordia all claimed a win. Javier Moreno and Patricio Esquivel went into an extra set to determine the winner. Willy Pardos, Thomas Greef and Gabriel Poling, all in their collegiate debut season, topped their opponents in two sets.

In doubles action, Pardos and Moreno took an 8-2 victory while Greef and Poling put up an 8-3 win.

The Concordia men’s tennis team will be back in action tomorrow. The Bulldogs are set to face Bethany College inside Walz Arena at 10 a.m.

Bulldog men topped by nationally-ranked Swedes

SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia men’s tennis team competed with 13th-ranked Bethany College on Saturday afternoon. The Swedes took an 8-1 victory during their visit to the Walz Fieldhouse.

The Bulldogs fall to 2-4 this year while the Swedes grab a win in their first outing of the season.

Head coach Joel Reckewey said, “We knew going into today’s match that it was going to be a very competitive match with Bethany’s national ranking. We had a battle in front of us. I was very happy with our competitiveness in doubles play. The matches were all close and the threes were able to get that victory. I like the way we’re playing in the singles matches also. If we keep up this high level of competitiveness, we should have a very successful season.”

Patricio Esquivel and Philip Yox played in the number three spot on doubles. The pair defeated their opponents, 8-6. The one and two doubles matches were decided by just a few sets. Willy Pardos and Javier Moreno fell 8-6 while Thomas Greef and Gabriel Poling were topped 8-5 by the Swedes.

The men’s tennis team will return to the courts Friday, Feb. 19. The Bulldogs will face Southwestern College in Lincoln, Neb. at 2 p.m.

Concordia rallies for win over Southwestern

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Concordia University men’s tennis team won four singles matches on its way to a 5-4 win over Southwestern College (Kan.) on Friday evening. The Bulldogs had trailed 2-1 after doubles play in a contest that took place inside the Abbott Sports Complex in Lincoln, Neb.

Second-year head coach Joel Reckewey’s squad has won two of its last three matches to improve to 3-4 overall.

“It was a courageous effort from our team. It’s nice to win a close match,” Reckewey said. “I am proud of the way we fought until the very end.”

With the match tied 3-3, the outcome rested in the hands of the Nos. 4 through 6 singles spots. Junior Patricio Esquivel and freshman Gabe Poling claimed victories at the Nos. 4 and 5 positions to clinch the team win. Esquivel’s second set came down to a tiebreaker.

Freshman Willy Pardos continued his impressive freshman campaign, taking part in wins at No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles on Friday. Pardos defeated Jonahs Joudrey, 6-1, 6-2, and then teamed up with junior Javier Moreno for Concordia’s lone doubles triumph in an 8-2 decision. Moreno also enjoyed a perfect night, picking up a win at No. 3 singles, 7-6, 3-6 (12-10).

The Bulldogs now own wins over Grand View University (Iowa), Ottawa University (Kan.) and Southwestern (0-1). The Moundbuilders are a member of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference.

Concordia will return to action in one week when it challenges Tabor College (0-0) in a match slated for a 1 p.m. first serve in Lincoln.

Concordia pushes past Tabor

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Concordia men’s tennis team defeated Tabor College, 5-4 on Friday afternoon. The Bulldogs move to an even 4-4 while the Blue Jays now hold a 0-1 mark.

Head coach Joel Reckewey said, “For the second match in a row, the men pulled out a courageous 5-4 victory which shows a lot of fight and resilience. It took a whole team effort for the win tonight. The team is really coming together and working as a team to get these victories.”

In doubles action, Willy Pardos and Javier Moreno defeated their opponents in the No. 1 position, 8-6. Also finding a victory in doubles were Thomas Greef and Patricio Esquivel who were slotted as the No. 2 team. The duo defeated their opponents, 8-2.

Esquivel also won his singles match at the No. 4 spot, 6-4, 6-3. Moreno won his singles match, 7-5, 6-2 at the No. 2 slot. In the No. 5 spot, Gabe Poling defeated his opponent, 6-2, 6-2.

The Bulldogs will return to the courts on March 5 as they take on Bethel College inside the Walz Fieldhouse. First serve is slated for 2 p.m.

Concordia steals 5-4 win over Bethel

SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia men’s tennis team pulled out a 5-4 win over Bethel College on Friday afternoon. Four singles and one doubles match went in favor of the Bulldogs including the new duo of Thomas Greef and Patricio Esquivel.

Head coach Joel Reckewey said, “The men’s team pulled out a tough, hard fought victory. After the doubles matches were completed, we were really facing an uphill battle. The last match came down to the wire. Thomas Greef had a nice performance and fought all the way to the end. I’m really proud of how our guys competed today.”

The Bulldogs move to 5-4 on the season while the Threshers open their season with a loss and sit 0-1.

Greef won both his singles match (6-2, 6-2) and doubles match (8-2) at the No. one position. Also winning in singles was Javier Moreno (6-1, 6-2), Esquivel (7-5, 6-3) and Philip Yox (6-4, 1-6, 10-8).

The Concordia men’s team will return to the courts on March 9 as it travels to Salina, Kan. to take on Kansas Wesleyan at 2 p.m.

Bulldogs come up short in Salina

SALINA, Kan. – The men’s tennis team lost a heartbreaker to Kansas Wesleyan University on Wednesday. The Coyotes took a 5-4 victory over the Bulldogs on their own courts. Concordia is now 5-5 on the season while Kansas Wesleyan moves to 2-1.

Head coach Joel Reckewey said, “The men had a heartbreaking match. It went all the way down to the last match. We had the opportunity to win but we didn’t capitalize on it. We came from behind and didn’t give up to put ourselves in a position to win. If we would’ve had just one more victory, we would have had the win. It’s never fun to lose but it’s even less fun when you lose a close one like that.”

In singles action, Willy Pardos won over his foe in three sets 6-1, 2-6, 10-6 at the No. 1 position. In the No. 2 slot, Thomas Greef found a 6-3, 6-1 victory while Gabriel Poling pulled a 6-3, 6-0 win, slotted No. 5.

The duo of Poling and Tommy McNish were the lone doubles pair to find victory. Poling and McNish played at the No. 3 spot and won 8-3.

The Bulldogs will continue their spring break trip tomorrow as they face Friends University. First serve is set for 3 p.m.

Men's tennis takes match over Friends

WICHITA, Kan. – The Concordia men’s tennis team fought its way to a victory Thursday afternoon. The Bulldogs took on Friends University and posted a 5-4 win. Concordia improves to 6-5 this season while the Falcons drop to 0-3.

Head coach Joel Reckewey said, “The men played like a championship team. They’re coming together and playing with heart and at one of the highest levels we’ve been at all season. We were down in the match and had every opportunity to give up, however we stepped up and fought as hard as we could. When there’s a will, there’s a way. It was very exciting to have a high level win outdoors on the road.”

Recording a win in singles matches was Willy Pardos (No. 1) who defeated his opponent 7-6, 4-6, 10-5. Javier Moreno, slotted in the No. 3 position topped his foe 6-4, 6-4. Patricio Esquivel (No. 4) won a three match tilt 3-6, 6-0, 10-5 and Gabriel Poling (No. 5) turned in a 6-3, 6-3 victory.

The No. 2 doubles were the only pair to register a triumph for the Bulldogs. Thomas Greef and Esquivel snuck away with an 8-6 victory.

The Concordia men’s tennis team will wrap up its spring break trip with Seminole State College Friday. The match is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.

Concordia topped by Seminole State

SEMINOLE, Okla. – The Concordia men’s tennis team was defeated by Seminole State College 5-0. Seminole is ranked second by ITA College Tennis in the NJCAA Div. I. The Friday morning match drops the Bulldogs to 6-6 while the Trojans improve to 8-3 on the season.

Head coach Joel Reckewey said, “The men were up against a team that is very highly ranked in the junior college division. These matches are excellent preparation for the conference matches coming up.”

The match was cut short due to limited court time. The teams started the match with singles competitions and played until one squad scored five team points. Freshman Willy Pardos was defeated in three sets in a close 6-3, 2-6, 10-6 decision.

The Concordia men’s tennis team will take a break and return to action on April 2 as it opens GPAC play. Morningside College will be the first conference opponent for the Bulldogs. The match will take place at the outdoor courts on Concordia’s campus beginning at Noon.

Bulldogs drop conference match to Morningside

SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia men’s tennis team fell short in its first GPAC competition Saturday afternoon. The Morningside Mustangs defeated the Bulldogs, 7-2.

Concordia falls to 6-7, 0-1 GPAC while Morningside moves to 5-5, 1-0 GPAC this season.

Head coach Joel Reckewey said, “The men had a disappointing loss. Morningside came to play. We are competitive and came to play also but we just had a lot of close matches that didn’t go our way. I like the way the guys competed, unfortunately we didn’t execute on enough of those close matches.”

Willy Pardos played at the No. 1 spot and defeated his opponent with ease 6-2, 6-0. Javier Moreno and Gabriel Poling each went into three sets in their single matches. Moreno was eventually defeated 6-2, 3-6, 10-2 in the No. 3 slot. Poling competed at the No. 5 position and was topped 3-6, 7-5, 10-4.

In doubles, Pardos and Moreno won in the No. 1 position 8-6. Thomas Greef and Patircio Esquivel were paired up at No. 2 while Gabriel Poling and Philip Yox played at the No. 3 spot.

The Concordia men’s tennis team will return to action on April 7 as it travels to Doane for more GPAC play. First serve is slated for 4 p.m.

Pardos wins again; Bulldogs fall at Doane

CRETE, Neb. – Amidst gusty conditions at the Newburg Held Tennis Complex in Crete, the Concordia University men’s tennis team fell in its sixth match of the 2016 season that has been decided by a 5-4 final. Host Doane held serve on its home courts on Thursday evening.

Second-year head coach Joel Reckewey’s squad is now 6-8 overall and 0-2 in conference play.

“It was a very hard-fought battle on the road,” Reckewey said. “We had a great start winning two of the three doubles and we had a chance to win all three. We had the momentum going into singles and battled hard in every match. I like the way we are in position to win matches in the GPAC.”

Concordia’s biggest standout all year has been freshman Willy Pardos, who has now won four of his last five singles matches at the No. 1 spot after taking care of Sebastian Gardefjord, 6-2, 6-2, on Thursday evening. Pardos improved his overall singles mark to 9-4 (2-0 vs. GPAC opponents) while also teaming up with junior Javier Moreno on a 9-8 (7-5) nailbiter victory at No. 1 doubles.

Doane clinched the match at No. 4 singles as Aaron Cook held off Concordia junior Patricio Esquivel, 6-4, 6-3, leaving only No. 5 singles yet to be decided. Additional Bulldog wins came at No. 5 singles (Gabe Poling) and at No. 3 doubles (Poling/Philip Yox).

The Bulldogs will host their final home match of the 2016 season on Wednesday (April 13) when Nebraska Wesleyan makes a visit to Seward. In last season’s meeting in Lincoln, the Bulldogs defeated the Prairie Wolves, 6-3.

Pardos' dominance nets GPAC player of the week award

GPAC release

SEWARD, Neb. – The dominance of freshman Willy Pardos has brought back shades of former Concordia tennis star Timothy Marshall, who went his entire career without losing a conference match. On Wednesday the league recognized Pardos as the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Men’s Tennis Player of the Week. Pardos is the first Bulldog tennis player to receive a weekly award in 2016.

Pardos remains a perfect 4-0 in both singles and doubles play when faced with GPAC opponents. Last week Pardos cruised to No. 1 singles victories over Nebraska Wesleyan’s Trevor Milburn, 6-1, 6-0, and over Midland’s Andy McDill, 6-0, 6-0. He also teamed up with Javier Moreno on two wins at No. 1 doubles.

A native of Pamplona, Spain, Pardos is now 11-4 overall this season while playing all of his singles matches at the No. 1 spot. Pardos made waves earlier this season when he defeated then No. 5 nationally-ranked Spartak Rahachou of Baker University (Kan.) on Feb. 6. According to ratings released by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association on April 13, Pardos is the eighth-ranked singles player in the NAIA’s Central region. No other GPAC player appears in the rankings.

Pardos and the Bulldogs are scheduled to return to action tonight (April 20) at the University of Nebraska-Kearney. First serve is set for 4 p.m. CT.

Concordia comes up short at Kearney

KEARNEY, Neb. – Concordia’s men’s tennis team suffered a 9-0 defeat to the University of Nebraska Kearney. The Lopers are ranked third in their region in the NCAA Division II.

The Bulldogs are now 7-10 this year while the Lopers improve to 17-2.

Head coach Joel Reckewey said, “The men had a really tough match against a seasoned opponent. We had some chances to get some sets but just came up short against them. We know going to Kearney that they are a higher division so it’s a match we like to play to give us good experience.”

The No. 1 doubles pair of Willy Pardos and Javier Moreno and No. 2 pair of Thomas Greef and Gabriel Poling were both defeated 8-3. The No. 3 doubles team made up of Patricio Esquivel and Philip Yox lost their match, 8-5.

The Concordia men’s tennis team will be back in action Wednesday, April 27 as it travels to Hastings College.

Pardos takes GPAC, central region by storm

This past fall Guillermo “Willy” Pardos arrived at Concordia with virtually no expectations. He just wanted the opportunity to do what he called the “cool thing” for natives of his home country of Spain. That meant finding a place in the United States where he could get an education and compete athletically.

Fast forward to the waning moments of the 2015-16 school year and it’s easy to see why GPAC tennis player of the week Pardos carries a wide smile. Says the native of Pamplona, “I really like it here. It’s better than what I expected. Coach (Joel Reckewey) is treating me super, super well. I can’t complain about anything. Sometimes I feel homesick, but I have good friends and a girlfriend. I’m really happy here.”

To say that Pardos has dominated GPAC opponents would be putting it lightly. He’s 4-0 in GPAC singles matches while carrying the pressure of playing every outing at the No. 1 position. Over his first four conference matches, he’s dropped a total of just seven games. He has also teamed with junior Javier Moreno on an unblemished GPAC doubles mark.

At one recent Tuesday Bulldog Booster Club gathering, a longtime observer of Concordia tennis told attendees that he had never seen anyone here play as well as Pardos. It’s high praise considering 1993 graduate Timothy Marshall went undefeated during conference matches his entire four-year career and was named the 1993 Concordia Senior Male Athlete of the Year. But Pardos made a quick first impression by blazing to the finals of an exhibition tournament in the fall. His teammates and competitors from rival schools took note.

The increased attention has blown Pardos away, who does a lot of talking – with his racket. In just his fourth collegiate appearance, Pardos upset the NAIA’s fifth-ranked singles player, Spartak Rahachou of Baker University (Kan.), on Feb. 6. At that point the secret was out on someone most U.S. collegiate tennis coaches had little knowledge of. Pardos had talked to Hastings College as well as institutions in Chicago and Michigan, but Reckewey had convinced him to come to Nebraska. All Reckewey had seen of Pardos was online recruiting video.

“I could tell that Willy had very sound strokes,” Reckewey said. “He also posted some very good results. However, it was quite a surprise to see the difference in person in terms of the talent that Willy actually has in his tennis game compared to watching a video.”

Now Pardos has invaded territory that has typically gone uninhabited by Bulldog tennis players. He finds himself listed in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s regional rankings. He checks in at No. 8 in the NAIA’s Central region. He says the recognition is nice, but it’s actually motivation for him to be even better.

“I didn’t know that (I was ranked),” Pardos said. “(Teammate) Thomas (Greeff) told me that I was in the rankings. That motivates me. I want to see if I can improve on it. Hopefully sometime I will be in the national ranking. That’s extra motivation to keep working and improving.”

An improved Pardos is a scary thought for GPAC foes. A strong baseliner with an all-around game, there have been minimal adjustments for someone used to the clay courts of Spain. The slight differences in the American college game have hardly phased Pardos, who is described by Reckewey as a “counter puncher.” Pardos thrives upon the mistakes of other players while rarely erring himself.

Pardos has made himself so comfortable that he wishes he could shrink the length of the summer and get back to Concordia faster. He’ll spend the summer honing his game on familiar clay courts in Spain. He also wants to improve his strength in the weight room.

All of these things could make Pardos even more of a bear as a sophomore in 2017. But his head coach loves his character just as much as his skill with a racket.

“One of the most exciting things about Willy is the way that he carries himself with his body language and demeanor on the court,” Reckewey said. “He has very good sportsmanlike conduct. He’s a role model in his determination to do well. Willy really cares. I’m really excited for the success he’s had and the progress he’s made, but more than that I admire his ability to conduct himself as a tennis player.”

Humble and prideful, Pardos chooses to focus on team goals. Unsolicited he’ll tell you that the main aim is to get to Mobile, Ala., site of the NAIA tennis national championships.

“My personal goal is to be undefeated,” Pardos said. “But I’d rather lose my own matches if we could make it to nationals. The most important thing is the team. Unfortunately we aren’t winning some close matches. I think we are really, really close. One day we’ll change it. We’ll win those close matches and if we do, we’ll make to nationals. No one expects us to be there.”

Not many expected Pardos to be this dominant either. Things change. All the way from Spain, Pardos has arrived to change the game, and the face of Concordia tennis.

Men's tennis handed loss from Hastings

HASTINGS, Neb. – The Concordia men’s tennis team faced Hastings College for its last regular season match of the year. The Broncos came out on top, 7-2.

Concordia falls to 7-11 overall and 1-4 in the GPAC. Hastings moves to 9-14 overall and an undefeated 4-0 in the conference.

Head coach Joel Reckewey said, “The guys had a tough, hard fought loss on the road. The wins that we earned will give our team a lot of confidence at the conference tournament. We will learn from this experience and use it to be a better team the next time we take the court.”

Winning their singles matches were Thomas Greef and Gabriel Poling. Greef played the No. 2 position, claiming a 6-2, 6-4 victory. By a three-set 7-5, 7-6, 10-8 decision, Poling grabbed the win.

Willy Pardos and Javier Moreno were paired up at the No. 1 doubles and were defeated 8-5. The duo of Greef and Poling were slotted at the No. 2 doubles spot, suffering an 8-2 loss. The No. 3 doubles team made up of Patricio Esquivel and Philip Yox were handed an 8-1 loss.

The GPAC Tournament will take place on May 6-7 in Fremont. Finalized schedules of the tourney will be announced as they become available.

Men's tennis finishes season with heart-breaking loss

FREMONT, Neb. – The Concordia men’s tennis team’s season ended on Friday morning. In the first round of the GPAC tournament, the Bulldogs were topped by Midland, 5-4 in a close, down-to-the-wire match. The last four singles matches to be played all went into a third set.

Concordia ends the season 7-12 overall. Midland moves to 15-10 and will move onto the GPAC semifinal match.

Head coach Joel Reckewey said, “The men had a very tough and heart breaking loss in the first round of the tournament. We unfortunately got ourselves down in the doubles but fought back in the singles matches. We put ourselves in a position to win every match. We needed to step up and a couple guys did. I thought we played well, we are a talented team, we just didn’t get it done today.”

The No. 1 doubles team was the only duo for Concordia to grab a victory. Willy Pardos and Javier Moreno took the match 8-2.

Pardos finished his singles match first at the No. 1 position with a 6-2, 6-2 victory to even the match at two all. Patricio Esquivel was defeated 6-3, 6-1 as Midland pulled back ahead by one point. The remaining four singles matches went in to a third set. Thomas Greef (6-2, 6-7, 7-6) and Gabriel Poling (6-2, 4-6, 6-3) both won their singles matches. The four victories were just one short from clinching the win and moving on to the next round of the tournament.

Concordia wraps up the season with a singles record of 47-67 and a doubles mark of 19-35. The Bulldogs will not graduate any student-athletes and will be expected to come back strong next season.

Three Bulldogs grab All-GPAC honors

GPAC Release

SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia men’s tennis team landed three student-athletes on the All-GPAC tennis team. Freshman Willy Pardos was named to both the singles (No. 1) team and doubles (No. 1) team with partner Javier Moreno. Gabriel Poling was also selected to the singles all-conference team (No. 5).

Pardos registered a singles record of 12-6 overall and was 4-1 in the GPAC. After winning seven of his last three matches, Pardos was named to the All-GPAC team in his rookie season as a Bulldog. The native of Spain played all 18 of his singles matches at the No. 1 position. The lone conference loss came from Hastings College in the team’s last regular season tilt.

Another freshman bringing growth to the men’s team, Poling, was also named to the All-GPAC team. Poling, a Missouri native, also posted a 4-1 mark in the conference and was 12-7 overall. Poling’s only conference loss was to Morningside and went into a very competitive three sets.

Moreno and Pardos were selected to the All-GPAC doubles team. The duo has posted a 4-1 conference mark and a 9-8 overall record. The team’s only defeat was to the GPAC champions, Hastings. In 2014 Moreno was named to the honorable mention all-conference team for singles and doubles. 

The three all-conference selections are the most under coach Joel Reckewey and most since the 2012 season. Concordia finished the season 7-12 overall and 1-4 in the GPAC. Three of those losses were decided by a very close 5-4 score.

Men's tennis lands three on scholar-athlete list

Men’s tennis scholar-athletes

SEWARD, Neb. – Head coach Joel Reckewey’s men’s tennis program landed a trio of Bulldogs on the list of 2015-16 Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes announced on Friday. The honorees include Concordia juniors Patricio Esquivel, Javier Moreno and Philip Yox. Each are first-time scholar-athletes.

In order to be nominated by an institution’s head coach or sports information director, a student-athlete must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale and must have achieved a junior academic status. A total of 90 men’s tennis student-athletes across the nation were named 2015-16 scholar-athletes by the NAIA.

Esquivel and Moreno are both natives of Morelia, Mexico, while Yox hails from Mount Pleasant, Texas. Esquivel is majoring in marketing, Moreno is seeking degrees in computer science and mathematics and Yox is also a double major (physics and chemistry).

Concordia University ranks as the NAIA’s all-time leader in number of Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes with 1,271 and counting (54 through the fall and winter of 2015-16). The 2014-15 season culminated with GPAC-leading totals of 94 Bulldog scholar-athletes and 17 NAIA Scholar-Teams. During the 2013-14 academic year, Concordia garnered 101 Scholar-Athlete honorees (most in the NAIA) and 17 NAIA Scholar-Teams (tied for fourth nationally).

Concordia University, Nebraska, founded in 1894, is a fully accredited, coeducational university located in Seward, Nebraska, that currently serves more than 2,600 students. Concordia offers more than 70 undergraduate, graduate and professional programs in an excellent academic and Christ-centered community that equips men and women for lives of learning, service and leadership in the church and world. For more information, visit cune.edu.

Close losses fuel momentum for next season

A few nail biter losses gave the Concordia men’s tennis team a 1-4 record in the GPAC. Two of those losses were decided by a 5-4 score. One more loss was to the eventual GPAC champion, Hastings, which ended in a 7-2 decision. One other 5-4 match during the season was the semifinals of the GPAC tournament, which went down as a loss to Midland.

Over the course of the season, the Bulldogs were on the short end of more close matches. Concordia ended the season 7-12 overall with four matches being decided by two or less points.

Head coach Joel Reckewey said, “It’s heart breaking to lose those matches 5-4, but it shows that our team is right there and we’re competing against all the other teams in the conference. They are winnable matches and we are capable to move up in the rankings and be a recognized tennis team. Four times we were one match away from winning. When you know how bad it hurts to lose, then you know next time you’ll step up and do what it takes to win.”

The victories that Concordia has achieved have been due to a solid line up, top to bottom. Willy Pardos (No. 1), Thomas Greef (No. 2) and Gabriel Poling (No. 5) all posted winning records in the GPAC in singles action this season. All three are freshmen and have emerged into the stars of the team.

Pardos finished the season 12-6 overall and 4-1 in the GPAC, playing all matches at the No. 1 spot. In doubles, he was 9-8 with partner Javier Moreno. The duo earned All-GPAC recognition for their doubles play. Pardos was also placed on the all-conference team in singles.

“Having an all-star player in Willy Pardos has benefitted the men’s tennis program in many ways. One being having such a high level player such as Willy shows the team that they are capable of winning. He is a good role model. Having him on the team is awesome because he is the type of player you can build the program around,” Reckewey said.

Pardos, Greef and Poling had a combined 11-4 conference record in singles. The freshman trio joined forces with some of the veteran players to give the program more potential for more victories. Patricio Esquivel and Moreno, both juniors this year, posted a combined 14 wins in singles matches.

Coach Reckewey has noted that having incoming players who get victories helps the current players push themselves that much more to get their own triumphs.

“It doesn’t necessarily take pressure off the other guys,” Reckewey said, “but it helps them to focus in more and get more victories in the other spots because you know you have good players that you trust in those top positions.”

Similar to the women’s team, the men did not graduate any athletes this year and look to keep the momentum rolling into next season. With the close losses in the back of their heads, the Bulldogs will be out for more victories in the upcoming year.