Wildcats spotlight on tennis

First-time coach David Straub has high hopes for the Pennsylvania College of Technology tennis program, and he will draw from his blue-collar experience as a homebuilder to build it.

Although this is Straub’s first experience as a paid coach, he has been a student of the game since his introduction to it as an 18-year-old. Until now, he’s been a recreational player and has competed in local tournaments, and among those he has taught and inspired over the years are his daughters, Missy and Heather, who both played the sport at Jersey Shore High School. Heather, he noted, also was a starter and standout at Lycoming College in the late 1990s.

“Anybody I’ve worked with more than one time, everybody to a person’s game has improved,” Straub said. “It’s not rocket science. Tennis is pretty basic. I’m 100% positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement is what works.”

Positive reinforcement, along with having fun and fundamentals, are his foundation.

This year’s teams will have a mix of players who have some high school or college experience and others who are picking up a racket for the first time.

“I’d rather have somebody that works hard and is maybe not quite at the top than somebody who is at the top and has a bad attitude and doesn’t feel like pushing at all,” Straub said.

“For this year, I want everybody to have fun, but, obviously, we’re all competitive and I would like to see us do a little better than last year,” Straub said. “Long term, I would love to get Penn College to be the place to go to play Division III tennis,” which he said will be accomplished through strong personal recruiting.

Last year’s men’s team finished 2-8 overall, 1-5 in the United East, and the women were 2-9 overall, 0-5 in the conference.

This fall, the men open on Saturday at the King’s College Invitational and the women get underway on Sept. 22 at Division II Lock Haven University. The men have three fall matches and the women four outings before both teams return to action in April with six United East matches.

The Wildcats will play their home matches at the Central PA Tennis Club in South Williamsport.

Junior Alex Norris, of Williamsport, is the lone returnee and will anchor the men’s squad, while the women’s team returns three starters in sophomores Ellen Buckley, of Binghamton, New York; and Lauren Peck, of South Williamsport; and senior Georgia Macensky, of Wellsboro. New women’s additions are freshman Faith Murray, of Dillsburg; and senior Jordan Specht, of Frederick, Maryland, and sophomore Lexi Snyder, of Hegins, the latter two from the women’s softball team.

Peck led the women’s squad with a 3-4 record at No. 2 singles last year.

“I want everybody to have fun. I want everybody to play pretty solid, be respectable, and go from there. I think there’s no reason why we can’t improve,” Straub said.

“I appreciate the opportunity that has been given to me. Combining my love for the game with the privilege of working with the student-athletes is ideal. I like working with young people; it makes me feel younger,” Straub said.

Men’s tennis

SCHEDULE/SERIES HISTORY

Saturday, Sept. 16 — at King’s College Invitational, 9 a.m.

Sunday, Sept. 17 — at King’s College Invitational, TBA

Saturday, Sept. 30 — at Lycoming College, 1 p.m. (series tied 5-5)

Women’s tennis

SCHEDULE/SERIES HISTORY

Friday, Sept. 22 — at Lock Haven University, 10 a.m. (Lock Haven leads 2-1)

Wednesday, Sept. 27 — host Susquehanna University, 4 p.m. (Susquehanna leads 7-0)

Saturday, Sept. 30 — at Lycoming College, 1 p.m. (Lycoming leads 10-0)

For more about the United East, visit the conference website.

For additional information, visit the Wildcat Athletics website.