MGCCC tennis teams hope to serve up competitive play in 2009

Christy Sutherland returns a ball during MGCCC tennis practice Jan. 27.

One thing’s for sure…Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College tennis coach Gary Bourgeois will need his clipboard in 2008-09 to keep up with 11 new players on both the men’s and women’s tennis teams.

Josh Lang is one of four freshmen on the MGCCC men’s tennis team this season.

Only two men’s players are returning sophomores, while the women’s team is chock full of six incoming freshmen. During the last two seasons, Bourgeois watched the Lady Bulldogs go to the NJCAA National Tournament. But this spring, Amelia Knight, Cristy Sutherland, Ashley Field, Jessica Chism, Charmaine Pruvis, and Victoria Hagel are all inexperienced at the college level.

“Obviously we’re going to be inexperienced with our women’s team,” said Bourgeois, the 2008 MACJC Co-Coach of the Year. “It reminds me of two years ago when we were in a similar situation. That team ended up going to the nationals two years in a row, so you never know what will happen. Our goals with both teams are to finish in the top three in the state and qualify for the nationals. That’s what it’s all about.”

On the men’s squad, only Landon Williams (Gulfport) and Glyn Bowman (George County) have played college tennis. Bourgeois hopes those two can help lead the men back to the nationals for the first time since 2003. Len Jacobsen, Josh Lang (Pass Christian), Jordan Craft, and Shawn Landsdale are incoming freshmen on the men’s team.

“We should have a stable lineup along with lots of depth,” Bourgeois added. “It looks like all the players are peaking, which is exactly what we want at this time of the year.”

Gulf Coast begins its 2009 season with a road trip to Faulkner State on Feb. 17.