2010 Men’s Tennis All-Conference Honors

By Melissa Maitland

GNAC Sports Information Specialist

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Collin Hyte, Norwich, So., Marblehead, Mass.

Position:  1S/1D

Hyte moved into the No. 1 singles role and went undefeated in singles play this season, earning him Player of the Year honors.  Hyte also posted a 5-1 record in doubles when paired with Rookie of the Year Fritz Kaelber. 

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Fritz Kaelber, Norwich, Fr., Westborough, Mass.

Position:  2S/1D

Kaelber stepped right in as Norwich’s No. 2 singles player and went undefeated as a freshman this season.  Kaelber also posted a 5-1 record in doubles when paired with Player of the Year Collin Hyte.

Harlan Strader, Suffolk, Fr., Marblehead, Mass.

Position:  4S

Strader was dominant in singles play this season, posting a perfect 8-0 overall record in the No. 4 position for the Rams.  Strader, a two-time GNAC Rookie of the Week, was also 7-1 on the season in doubles play and was a combined 8-0 in conference matches this season.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Steve Counihan, Suffolk, 6th Year, Reading, Mass.

Coach Counihan’s Rams are GNAC Champions for the 2nd year in a row.  Counihan’s squad finished the 2009-2010 season undefeated, with a conference record of 4-0 and an overall record of 10-0.

FIRST TEAM - SINGLES

Collin Hyte, So., Norwich, Marblehead, Mass.

Hyte moved into the No. 1 singles role and went undefeated in singles play this season, earning him Player of the Year honors.  Hyte also posted a 5-1 record in doubles when paired with Rookie of the Year Fritz Kaelber. 

Diego Alvarado, Sr., Suffolk, Boston, Mass.

Alvarado was Suffolk’s top player in both singles and double this season.  Alvarado finished the year with a 6-2 mark in singles play, going 3-1 in conference play.

Mark Jackman, So., Emerson, Miami, F.L.

Jackman rose to the occasion when asked to play at the No. 1 position many times this season.  Jackman captured impressive wins over Johnson and Wales and Bridgewater State. 

Chris Staley, So., Suffolk, London, England

Staley, the 2009 GNAC Rookie of the Year, was dominant on the court for the Rams this season, winning 7 matches in singles play out of the No. 2 position for Suffolk.  Staley was a perfect 4-0 in conference play this season and was named the GNAC Player of the Week on April 6.

Jared Orkin, Sr., Suffolk, Newton, Mass.

Orkin finished the regular season with a combined 13-0 record in both singles and doubles play.  Orkin was a perfect 7-0 in the No. 3 spot for the Rams this year.  His impressive win over Mark Jackman in the tiebreaking set in the GNAC Tournament was a match clincher, giving Suffolk a 5-4 victory and the 2010 GNAC Men’s Tennis Championship.  For his efforts, Orkin was named the GNAC Tournament’s Most Valuable Player.

Fritz Kaelber, Fr., Norwich, Westborough, Mass.

Kaelber stepped right in as Norwich’s No. 2 singles player and went undefeated as a freshman this season.  Kaelber also posted a 5-1 record in doubles when paired with Player of the Year Collin Hyte.

FIRST TEAM - DOUBLES

Diego Alvarado, Sr., Suffolk, Boston, Mass.

Alvarado was Suffolk’s top player in both singles and double this season.  Alvarado finished the year with a 6-2 mark in singles play, going 3-1 in conference play.

Harlan Strader, Suffolk, Fr., Marblehead, Mass.

Strader was dominant in singles play this season, posting a perfect 8-0 overall record in the No. 4 position for the Rams.  Strader, a two-time GNAC Rookie of the Week, was also 7-1 on the season in doubles play and was a combined 8-0 in conference matches this season.

SECOND TEAM - SINGLES

Harlan Strader, Suffolk, Fr., Marblehead, Mass.

Alesandro Bellino, Jr., Emerson, Brisbane, Australia

John Sammander, Jr., Suffolk, Curacao, Netherlands

Dan Lapidus, Fr., Emerson, San Diego, C.A.

Devin Kitterick   , Sr., Johnson & Wales, Bridgewater, Mass.

Tim Gabbard, So., Albertus Magnus, North Haven, Conn.

SECOND TEAM - DOUBLES

John Sammader, Jr., Suffolk, Curacao, Netherlands

Chris Staley, So., Suffolk, London, England