By By SCOTT NOVAK / Dowagiac Daily News
The Dowagiac varsity tennis team returns seven players from last year's squad.
The Chieftains will be competing in the Wolverine Conference for the first time in 2007. Dowagiac moves from the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference, where it spent the last five years.
Returning for the Chieftains are three-year lettermen Mike Hoff, Josue Miranda and Kevin Billingham.
Also back are two-year letterwinners Andrew Cuthbert, Kevin Simpson and Kevin Proshwitz.
Hoff, Cuthbert, Miranda and Simpson are seniors, while Billingham and Proshwitz are both juniors.
Senior Dustin Bair is also a returning letterman.
New to the squad are exchange student Andre Porto (senior), Evan Bressler (senior), Dave Nelson (freshman), Joshua Jerz (junior) and D.J. Tartt (sophomore).
"We have some seniors who have played for me before and know the program," veteran Dowagiac coach Curtis Partee said. "That helps with the new players."
Hoff returns as the Chieftains' No. 1 singles player. Cuthbert, who played doubles last season, moves up to No. 2 singles, while Miranda and Porto will play at No. 3 and No. 4 singles.
Bair and Simpson are now the Chieftains' No. 1 doubles squad, while Bressler and Proshwitz will be the No. 2 doubles team.
Nelson and Billingham will comprise the No. 3 doubles team, with Jerz and Tartt stepping in at No. 4 doubles.
Partee said that all of his players are key because the team must work hard together to improve.
His concern entering the new season is that with five brand new players, it may take time for them to jell.
Dowagiac was 7-5 last season in the Southwest Michigan Athletic Conference. The Chieftains would like to do well in their new home too.
"We would like to be above .500 and play well all year," Partee said.
Dowagiac will jump right in to Wolverine Conference play as it hosts South Haven on Wednesday, April 11. The Chieftains will be hosting both the junior varsity and varsity squads.