Mitchell Takes Inaugural New England Collegiate Conference Men’s Tennis Championship Title

ATTLEBORO, Mass.-The Mariners of Mitchell College grabbed the first-ever New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) men's tennis championship title for the 2009 season. The Mariners (11-0 overall) claimed the top spot after posting a perfect 8-0 NECC record in conference play.

The Mariners are led by Head Coach Rick Carmona, the 2008 NECC Women's Head Tennis Coach of the Year. Freshman Kyle Carmona (Norwich, Conn.) and Tyler Engleberg (Niantic, Conn.) have led the way all season for the Mariners.  Carmona produced a perfect record at 10-0 at the #1 spot, while Engleberg has also remained undefeated at 9-0. Carmona has also remained undefeated at the #1 doubles spot with three partners including a 6-0 record with junior Daniel Dwortesky (Glastonbury,Conn.).

The Lynx of Lesley University (6-6, 5-3) and the Hawks of Becker College (7-9, 5-3), the NECC pre-season favorite, finished tied in the conference standings as the they share the 2009 NECC men's tennis runners-up plaque.  The Nighthawks of Newbury (2-11 overall) finished fourth in the NECC with a 2-6 record, defeating the Wildcats of Wheelock College twice in their 2009 campaign.  Rounding out the standings were the Wildcats (0-8, 0-11) finishing in fifth place in the New England Collegiate Conference.

The 2009 NECC Men's Tennis Championship is determined solely on regular season conference matches.

The 2009 New England Collegiate Conference Men's Tennis Championship Tournament will be an individual flighted tournament that is based upon student-athletes' singles and doubles conference records. Players are seeded as individual players and seeds are not based on a team's finish.

Championship play will begin this weekend on Saturday, May 2 at the Pine Manor Tennis Courts in Brookline, Mass. hosted by Newbury College. Semi-finals doubles action will begin at 10:30 a.m. The semi-finals singles flights will begin at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday.  The championships will conclude on Sunday, May 3 where the final winners will be awarded for all six singles flights and all three doubles flights.