MGCCC tennis teams reload and rebuild

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.

Only four 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. He’s hoping returning sophomores Matt Garman (England), Landon Williams (Gulfport), Jamar Smith (Moss Point), and Glyn Bowman (George County) can help lead the men back to the nationals for the first time since 2003.

“With the help of one other international signee that should be here in the spring, this could easily be the best team we’ve had since I’ve been here,” Bourgeois said.

Tyler Phillips (McComb), Len Jacobsen and Josh Rimes (Pass Christian), and Jordan Craft (George County) are incoming freshmen on the men’s team.

“We should have a stable lineup along with lots of depth,” Bourgeois added.

Meanwhile, the women’s team will feature six players who’ve never competed at the college level. Gina Martinez, Amelia Knight, Cristin Sutherland, Ashley Field, Jessica Chism, and Elizabeth Johnson make up the 2009-09 women’s squad.

“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.”

Gulf Coast will play fall tennis matches at Pearl River, Faulkner State, Holmes, Jones, and an International Tennis Association rankings match in Meridian.