BULLDOG DUO HONORED AT NATIONAL TOURNAMENT

Ferris State’s Matt Cole Receives National Arthur Ashe Award

Senior Matt Cole of the Ferris State University men’s tennis team has been awarded the 2002 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA)/Arthur Ashe National Award for Leadership and Sportsmanship in an announcement recently made by the ITA.

A first-team 2002 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) honoree, Cole also received the ITA’s 2002 Arthur Ashe Great Lakes Region Award while FSU men’s tennis head coach Paul Marcum garnered 2002 Wilson/ITA Great Lakes Region Coach-of-the-Year accolades at the ITA’s annual awards ceremony held last Wednesday (May 8) evening in conjunction with the 2002 NCAA Division II National Championships at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. The Arthur Ashe National Award is presented each year to an individual who has displayed outstanding sportsmanship and leadership along with notable scholastic, extracurricular and tennis achievements.

Cole, who was Ferris’ number three singles player this season, led the Bulldogs to a 14-6 overall mark, including a second place 7-1 GLIAC finish and the program’s sixth national tournament appearance. The Bulldogs, rated 25th overall in the latest (April 26) ITA NCAA Division II national rankings, were eliminated in the opening round of the national tournament by seventh-ranked North Florida (5-0) Thursday (May 9) at the Plaza Tennis Center in Kansas City, Mo.

An honorable mention 2001 All-GLIAC pick, Cole compiled a 57-24 career singles record and a 90-29 overall doubles mark. The FSU captain concluded his four-year career as the school’s second-leading all-time doubles victory leader and placed eighth in career doubles winning percentage (.756). He also tied for ninth in singles wins and 10th in career singles winning percentage (.701). Cole finished his career ranked fifth among Ferris’ all-time performers in combined singles and doubles victories (147-53 – .735).

The 6-1 Cole had a team-leading 16-4 singles and 19-5 doubles record during the 2001-02 campaign. As Ferris’ number one doubles team, he combined with his brother, freshman Jason Cole (Rockford) to place second in doubles competition (Sept. 23) at the fall 2001 ITA Mid-American Regional Tournament in Indianapolis, Ind. The Cole brothers were 12-3 overall at the top doubles flight and tallied a 7-1 mark in number two doubles action this campaign.

Marcum registered a 74-31 (.705) career coaching record during his four seasons at the helm. The 2000 GLIAC Coach-of-the-Year, Marcum led FSU to three consecutive (2000-02) NCAA Division II National Tournament appearances and the 1999 league title. He presently ranks second among Ferris’ all-time coaching victory leaders and earned NCAA Division II All-America acclaim as a Bulldog tennis player in 1991. Marcum will be leaving Ferris State this summer to pursue other career opportunities.

“This award really means a lot since it’s my final season as a coach at Ferris State,” Marcum said. “I was happy to accept this award on behalf of our successful team. It was also quite an honor for Matt to receive and is an extremely satisfying way for him to go out.”

Ferris advanced to the 16-team single-elimination national round by claiming one of two Great Lakes Regional tournament titles last weekend (May 3-4) at FSU’s Racquet and Fitness Center in Big Rapids, Mich. The Bulldogs handled West Virginia Wesleyan (5-0) in last Friday's (May 3) first match before defeating conference opponent Wayne State (5-3) in last Saturday's (May 4) championship encounter to win their third straight regional crown.

As the governing body of collegiate tennis, the ITA promotes both the athletic and academic achievements of the collegiate tennis community. The ITA, which was founded in 1956 and is based in Skillman, N.J., administers numerous regional and national championships, the ITA Collegiate Summer Circuit, presented by the United States Tennis Association, and the Omni Hotels Collegiate Tennis Rankings for men’s and women’s tennis at the NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA and junior college levels. The ITA also has a comprehensive awards program for players and coaches to honor excellence in academics, leadership and sportsmanship.

Cole joins former Bulldog player Martin Krbec (1997-01) as a regional Arthur Ashe Award winner. Krbec was presented the ITA’s 2001 Midwest Region Arthur Ashe Award for Leadership and Sportsmanship.