June 9, 2012
ITA Northeast Regional Rankings
Bronx, N.Y. -
Fordham University sophomore Kuba Kowalski (Krakow, Poland/Piarist Gimnazyum) finished the season ranked 19th in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Northeast Regional Rankings it was announced this week. He becomes the first Fordham men's tennis player to finish the season ranked in the regional Top 20 in school history.
"I am very happy for Kuba to finish the season ranked and get the recognition he deserved for a tremendous year," said Fordham head coach Cory Hubbard. "This was a goal we set at the beginning of the season, so it's always a great feeling to see hard work get rewarded. Kuba was actually just a few points away from being ranked in the top five, as he had a win over number seven Venkat Iver from Cornell, had two match points against number four Jonathan Pearlman from Harvard, and was two points away from beating number six Haig Schneiderman of Columbia. If he converts those couple of points, he finishes in the top five."
Earlier this spring, Kowalski was named First Team All-Atlantic 10, becoming one of the first Fordham men's tennis players to earn All-Conference honors since Chris Kelly in 2002. A sophomore transfer from San Diego State, Kowalski played at the number one singles position for the Rams all year, compiling a 21-9 record. He was also the leader in doubles wins for the Rams this year, going 19-11, 17-8 at first doubles.
Kowalski led Fordham to one of its best seasons in years, finishing the year with a 17-10 record, the most wins for a Fordham men's tennis team since the 1995-96 squad went 18-3. The Rams also advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2012 Atlantic 10 Championship with a win over Saint Louis in the first round, Fordham's first win at the championships since 2006. The quarterfinal appearance was the first for the Fordham men's team since joining the conference in 1995-96.
"Kuba still has two more years, and the next goal is to get into the national rankings," added Hubbard. "Even though this is an individual accomplishment, it really means a lot to our team and our program. We are moving in the right direction and are looking forward to a big season next year. I have put together a very tough schedule next year, to give the guys a chance to play a lot of ranked teams and hopefully get a team ranking."
