Men's Tennis | 4/14/2015 4:07:00 PM
BALTIMORE – Qualifying for the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Tournament has become an annual rite of spring under Coppin State head men's tennis coach
Diwani Lewis. For the fourth consecutive year, the Eagles are headed to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference's (MEAC) postseason party.
Coppin State (1-12 overall) finished fourth in the Northern Division and will meet Southern Division champion South Carolina State (13-2) on Thursday, April 16 at noon at the Cayce Tennis and Fitness Center in Cayce, South Carolina.
The Eagles face a daunting chore in South Carolina State, who completed the conference schedule with a perfect 5-0 mark. The Bulldogs are the defending MEAC tournament champions.
"It's always a good experience to play South Carolina State," Lewis said. "They've been the dominant force in the conference for the past decade. Playing them in the first round is not where you want to be. We just have to go out there and give it our best shot. One thing I emphasize when we step on the court is you're not playing a school or an opponent, but you're playing the tennis ball. I have them focused on that."
Coppin State's lone victory this season was a 4-0 decision over Maryland Eastern Shore. The Eagles' top performer this season has been freshman
Gavin Lewis, who won a team-high four matches at No. 3 singles. Two of Lewis' victories have been against MEAC competition. Also making contributions during the season for the Eagles were seniors
Patrick Thomas and
Reginald Robinson and sophomore
David Ogan. They were big keys to the Eagles' win over UMES.
"Gavin was a recruit and a junior champion in Guyana," Lewis said. "Coming in and never having played on this level before, I wasn't expecting much from him. However, to see him progress was great and he really stepped up on every occasion for us this year. I think he'll get much stronger moving forward and he'll be battled tested."
Morgan State men's and Howard women's teams earned the top seeds in the northern division, while Bethune-Cookman women's team finished atop of the southern division.
On the men's side, Morgan State (4-10) picked up its fourth straight men's divisional title with a 4-0 conference mark. North Carolina Central will face the Bears on Thursday, beginning at Noon.
Hampton (N2) and Howard (N3) wrap up the men's northern division. Bethune-Cookman (S2), Florida A&M (S3) and North Carolina Central (S4) secured the remaining spots in the southern division.
The 2015 MEAC Men's and Women's Tennis Championship begins with women's play on Thursday, April 16 at 8:30 a.m., while the men begin action at Noon. The women's semifinal rounds start on Friday at 8:30 a.m. followed by the men at Noon. The Championship concludes on Saturday with the women's final beginning at 9 a.m. followed by the men's title match at Noon. The championship is free and open to the public.
