After 63 years in the making, the men’s tennis program is deeply rooted in Oregon athletics. Oregon has fielded a Division I tennis team every year since 1933, except during World War II, and has established itself as a traditional top-100 team.
This weekend, the Ducks face a team that is going through the building process Oregon went through 63 years ago.
Portland State, in only the second year of varsity tennis play, visits Eugene this weekend for its first-ever match against a ranked Division I opponent.
The Vikings will have their hands full against the No. 69-ranked Ducks, who are 7-6 overall and 5-5 at home. Portland State will be looking for not only its second win of the season, but its second win in program history.
The Vikings defeated NAIA foe George Fox 7-0 on Feb. 5 for their first win in school history.
Portland State has gone through many growing pains since starting in the fall of 1999. After an 0-20 inaugural campaign, the Vikings are 1-7 this year. The majority of Portland State players are freshmen from the greater Portland vicinity or junior college transfers.
Leading the Vikings are sophomore Corey Bennett (3-5) and senior transfer Luke Schroeter (2-6). Portland State’s growth is shown in its top two players, who have already won more sets this season than the entire team last season.
To find an Oregon team that went through what the Vikings are going through, you have to go back to the 1952-53 season, when the Ducks went 1-7.
The Ducks have come a long way since then, with most of their recent success coming under head coach Chris Russell. In five years at the helm of Oregon tennis, Russell has guided two teams to the NCAA Tournament (1997-98 and 1999-00), the first two in school history. He has also helped two singles players and a doubles team to the national tournament.
This weekend, Russell plays his final home game of the season in the Student Tennis Center, Oregon’s first indoor tennis facility.
The Ducks and Vikings clash at noon on Saturday.
Women to face Washington schools
The first round of the Northwest tennis rivalry takes place this weekend when Oregon travels to Washington and Washington State.
The No. 49-ranked Ducks (3-7, 0-5 Pac-10) hope to end a five-match losing streak in Seattle today or in Pullman, Wash., on Saturday.
No. 17 Washington will pose the biggest challenge for the Ducks. The Huskies are 9-4 on the year after returning four starters from last year’s team. Oregon lost to Washington twice last season.
A more evenly matched contest will take place Saturday against No. 48 Washington State. The Cougars are 5-5 and led by junior Erica Perkins, who is ranked No. 41 in the latest ITA polls.
The Washington schools visit Oregon March 30-31.
