Florida Gator Mens Tennis 2014 - 2015

OVERALL RECORD: 14-9

Home: 7-4 4-2
Away: 5-2 4-2
Neutral 2-3 0-0
SEC: 8-4
Home: 4-2
Away: 4-2
Neutral 0-0
Team rankings during season:
Date
Team Ranking
Jan. 6
13
Jan. 20
13
Jan. 28
17
Feb. 3
14
Feb. 17
16
Feb. 24
17
March 3
11
March 10
18
March 17
15
March 24
20
March 31
16
April 7
17
April 14
17
April 21
21
May 1
22
------------------------------------------Individual Singles Ranking Highs

When winning doubles: record is 10-2 (83 %)

When winning singles:
#1 singles 5-1 (83%)
#2 singles 10-3 (77%)
#3 singles 8-1 (89%)
#4 singles 10-4 (71%)
#5 singles 11-3 (79%)
#6 singles 6-0 (100%)
------------------------------------------Team singles Totals
18-14 in third set matches
15-11 in tiebreakers
-----------------------------------------NCAA Results under Shelton
2013
Denver 4, Florida 3 (first round)
2014
Florida 4, St. Johns 0 (first round)
Florida 4, South Florida 0 (second round)
Ohio State 4, Florida 3 (round of 16)
Florida has a record of 43-24 in NCAA play
--------------------------------------------

History stat:
The demise of the 4 year letter winner.

Diego Hidalgo
34
Maxx Lipman
34
Elliott Orkin
68
Chase Perez-Blanco 123
Gordon Watson
70

on Feb.10
on Jan. 6
on Sept. 8
on Feb. 24
on Sept. 8

Individual Doubles Ranking Highs

Hidalgo/Watson
28 on Feb. 10
Lipman/Orkin
35 on May 1
Landert/Wardell
43 on Jan. 6
Belga/Perez-Blanco 50 on Jan. 6
------------------------------------------

The last 7 years (since 2009) Florida Mens Tennis

has had 64 players on their rosters and only 3 four
year letter winners:
2011 Lacroix
2013 Federhofer & van Overbeek

Year in Review 2014-15

2014 SEC Fall Classic
Not every SEC team sent representatives
however all four semifinal singles slots
were occupied by Gator players. Gordon
Watson, Maxx Lipman, Diego Hidalgo, and
Elliot Orkin
Singles winner: Elliott Orkin
Doubles: Hidalgo & Watson
Consolation draw: Jordan Belga
--------------------------------------------------------------ITA Mens All American Championships
Sept. 27- Oct 6 six Gators competed
--------------------------------------------------------------Nov. 7- 9, 2014 Gator Fall Invitational
Teams from Miami, Texas, North Florida,
and the Gators competed to hone their
games for the upcoming spring season.
--------------------------------------------------------------Gators signed Alfredo Perez and McClain
Kessler for 2015-16 season.
--------------------------------------------------------------Jan. 10th Florida 9 William & Mary 3
The 2015 dual match season began at home
against the College of William & Mary under the
ITA shortened dual match format with this
variation. Singles were a mandatory 3 sets;
doubles a 10 game pro set. Every player played
as there were 8 singles and 4 doubles. Gators
won 9-3
--------------------------------------------------------------Jan. 16 Florida 5 Troy 2
After taking all three doubles, the Gators won
four of six singles matches
--------------------------------------------------------------Jan. 21st Mens and Womens Tennis Boosters
sponsored a Meet the Teams event.
-------------------------------------------------------------Jan. 24 25 ITA Kick-Off Classic
Ole Miss 4 Florida 3
Gators won the doubles, and expanded the lead
to 3-0, but couldnt hold it.
Gators 4 Stanford 2
Playing on the back courts at UF, Stanford won
the doubles easily and led on 4 singles courts
early. However the Gators rebound to win.
---------------------------------------------------------------

Jan 31 Feb.1 SEC/Pac 10 Showdown in Athens

USC 5 Florida 2
Gators lost the doubles. Hidalgo with a nice win
beating # 8 ranked Wang at #3 singles
Florida 4 UCLA 3
Gators win doubles. Hidalgo and Watson win
their singles, and Oliver Landert clinches at 5
singles for a third set victory and the match.
--------------------------------------------------------------Feb.6th Florida 4 FSU 2
The Gator Mens Tennis Boosters chartered a
bus, and took 42 fanatical Gator Tennis Fans to
this away match. The fans were credited by the
Florida coaches with making the difference in an
electric win, shown on ESPN3.
FSU won the doubles with a strong start. Gators
turned the match around and Diego Hidalgos
sterling performance clinching the victory.
--------------------------------------------------------------Feb. 26th Georgia 4 Florida 1
With our pep band playing and Dazzlers
cheering the Gators dropped a close doubles
point to stun the rambunctious crowd. Elliott
Orkin got a win and two other matches were
dead even but were not finished in the loss to
rival Georgia.
--------------------------------------------------------------Feb.28th Florida 4 S. Carolina 1
Hidalgo & Watson got the Gators rolling by
winning their tiebreaker 7-0 to secure the
doubles point. The match was contested indoors,
at home, with wins from Hidalgo and Lipman,
followed by Perez-Blanco getting the clincher.
--------------------------------------------------------------March 6th Vanderbilt 4 Florida 3
Vandy secured the doubles point easily but
Lipman, Watson and Perez-Blanco fought to
give the Gators a chance. At 3 all, Baker
Newman was victorious at #6 to give Vandy the
hard earned victory.
--------------------------------------------------------------Former Gators Mark Merklein and Jeff
Morrison are chosen to be inducted into the 2015
ITA Men's Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame
Enshrinement Banquet on May 20th
---------------------------------------------------------------

March 10th Ohio St 4 Florida 1

Ohio St brought their highly ranked team to
Gainesville and won the doubles. A win at #5
singles is all the Gators could muster.
--------------------------------------------------------------March 13th Florida 4 Miss St 1
Gators won the doubles, helped by a shot to
remember by Josh Wardell. Singles wins at 3
and 5 and the clincher by Diego Hidalgo, with
his family from Equator in the stands, secured
the home court victory.
--------------------------------------------------------------March 15th Florida 4 Alabama 2
Gators were clicking with a victory in doubles.
Elliott Orkins victory without losing a game was
a highlight of this match, along with PerezBlanco clinching the win.
--------------------------------------------------------------A youth clinic was held after the Alabama match
which was a huge success.
--------------------------------------------------------------March 20th Florida 4 Arkansas 0
Gators visited Arkansas and after winning the
doubles swept the Hogs with wins at 2, 4 and 5.
--------------------------------------------------------------March 22nd Ole Miss 4 Florida 0
On their home courts the Rebels dispatched the
Gators by winning the doubles point in addition
to singes wins at 1, 2 and 3.
--------------------------------------------------------------March 28th Florida 4 Auburn 1
Auburn grabbed the doubles point but the
Gators came back in singles, with notable
performances by freshmen Josh Wardell at 6
and Jordan Belga, who clinching at 5.
--------------------------------------------------------------April 3rd Florida 4 LSU 2
Hidalgo and Watson secured the exciting
doubles point. Elliott Orkins hard fought come
from behind victory clinched the win for UF.
--------------------------------------------------------------April 5th Texas A&M 4 Florida 0
The Gators honored their only senior Richard
Brej prior to the match. A&M was fighting for
the SEC title and it showed. They won the
doubles and 1, 2 and 3 singles.
--------------------------------------------------------------April 10th Florida 4 Kentucky 1
The Gators dropped the doubles point but came
back to win singles matches at 2, 4 and 6.
---------------------------------------------------------------

April 12th Florida 4 Tennessee 1

The Gators completed a two match weekend
sweep with the win. Florida came out in doubles
and dominated. Wins at 2, 4 and 5 finished off
the Vols.
--------------------------------------------------------------The regular SEC season ended with the Gators
at 8-4. Throughout the middle, to end of the
SEC season, many players contributed.
However the two that stand out were sophomore
Elliott Orkin, and freshman Chase Perez-Blanco.
These two players won most of their matches
down the stretch.
--------------------------------------------------------------April 16th & 17th SEC Tournament
Florida 4 Kentucky 2
After winning the doubles point, the Gators
maintained their resolve and pulled away in
singles to win 4-2.
Miss St 4 Florida 3
The match opened with the Gators dominating
doubles. Orkin and Watson added singles
victories but it wasnt enough as MSU moved on
to the semifinals.
--------------------------------------------------------------May 4th Awards Banquet
Academic Award Maxx Lipman
Coaches Award Diego Hidalgo
Most Improved Award Chase Perez-Blanco
MVP Award Elliott Orkin
--------------------------------------------------------------May 8th NCAA Tournament
Pepperdine 4 Florida 3
Florida was the 2 seed in the regional hosted by
Wake Forest. The Gators took the doubles point
in this first round match but could not hold onto
a 3-1 lead in a tightly fought match and suffered
the upset.
--------------------------------------------------------------Post Season Honors
Diego Hidalgo was named first team all
SEC. Elliott Orkin was named second team all
SEC. Chase Perez-Blanco became a member of
the All SEC Freshman team

So ends another season of Florida Gator Mens

Tennis. We hope to see you in the fall for the
2015-16 season.