The fall edition rankings of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association list the Laredo Community College Palominos as the number one men’s team within the National Junior College Athletic Association.
Additionally, the LCC women have improved in the rankings, posting a significant jump from 9th to 5th.
“There’s been a lot of pressure to keep our men’s number one ranking and to improve our standings on the women’s court, but I’m glad and very proud to have a team committed to being the best they can be in the nation,” Coach Jaime Donjuan said.
The Palominos’ journey to stay atop the rankings was a “very interesting” journey, Donjuan said.
RETRACING THE ROAD TO NATIONALS
LCC began fall of 2004 with a high mark when Palomino freshman Alex Gonzalez won the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Regional Tournament after defeating his second-place opponent, teammate Henry Estrella. The first-time ITA win for LCC placed the team at the top of the national rankings.
In the spring of 2005, LCC began with some major wins, but the team was soon plagued with injuries.
“Our team began to struggle to win the next matches and even lost some games that we should have won,” Donjuan said.
The Palomino men finished the season with a 3-7 mark, but the team got out of its slump in time to win the Southwest Junior College championship in April for the second year in a row.
In the same month, LCC moved one step closer to nationals after dethroning Tyler at the regional tournament. This was the first occasion LCC beat Tyler Junior College during Donjuan’s eight years as head coach.
LCC entered the national competition in May ranked firmly in first with sophomore Alex Ortega, who won the top flight in last year’s national tournament.
This spring, four Palominos won singles in their respective flights, including Gonzalez, 1; Ortega, 2; Henry Estrella, 3; and Daniel Pazos, 4.
In doubles, Gonzalez and Ortega won the top flight, while Thomas Ollivier and Pazos won the third flight.
Donjuan also earned top coaching honors by receiving the Max Grubbs Coach of the Year award.
“It was a great experience to have the team come together to bring the national crown to Laredo for the first time in the city’s 250-year history,” Donjuan said.
THE CHALLENGES TO STAY #1
Despite their dominance at nationals, the Palominos were in for more hefty challenges to overcome this fall.
An injury prevented Gonzalez, the Palominos’ top player, from attending the ITA Regional Tournament in Plano in September, but that obstacle did not hinder LCC from snaring some impressive wins.
Sophomores Pazos and Estrella won the top seed in men’s doubles.
And in women’s singles, the Palominos’ Clelia Melena of Switzerland became LCC’s first female ITA champion.
In October, the Palominos’ winning ways continued at the National Small College Championships were the Palomino doubles of Estrella and Pazos became the first in the history of the LCC tennis program to win a title at this tournament.
A TRADITION CONTINUES
Last month when the new ITA rankings were released, Donjuan was pleased to learn that the LCC men’s team remains at the top of the list, and the Palomino women’s team made a significant climb in the rankings.
Besides garnering the top spot as a team, the men’s doubles of Estrella and Pazos are ranked number one in the ITA standings. Other LCC doubles in the rankings are Michael Castillo/Alex Gonzalez, 7; and Gwen Corchers/Thomas Ollivier, 8.
Estrella is ranked No. 2 in men’s singles, followed by Gonzalez at 3. Other Palominos in the rankings: Corchers, 8; Ollivier, 21; Pazos, 24; and Castillo, 36.
In the women’s standings, LCC is ranked 5th, a major improvement from last year’s 9th-place finish.
In women’s singles, Melena is 4th, while freshman Cristell Antonioli, of Switzerland, is in 16th.
The doubles of Melena/Antonioli is ranked 3rd.
OUTLOOK FOR SPRING
Coach Donjuan looks forward to another exciting season in 2006.
With five returning sophomores in the men’s team, Donjuan is confident LCC will stay in first place, barring any injuries.
The women’s team should continue to improve as the season progresses. Donjuan hopes to add “new blood” to the team this spring.
LCC’s first home match is against St. Mary’s University Friday, Feb. 3 at the H.E. Butt Tennis Courts on the north side of the main campus. Admission is free to the public. St. Mary’s is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II school.
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