WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- The formula seems simple enough as Jeff Northam works to keep the Whitman College men's tennis team at the top of the Northwest Conference standings. After graduation claimed two of his top players from last spring's NWC championship team, Northam recruited two talented newcomers to take their places.
One of the newcomers is Trevor Gamble, a towering 6-foot-7 sophomore transfer with an intimidating power game and the potential to be one of the top NCAA Div. III players in the country. The other is Sam Spiegel, a freshman who comes to Whitman from Winnipeg, Manitoba, after playing at the top of Canada's junior ranks.
Add Gamble and Spiegel to Whitman's top returning player, junior Tim Mullin, the NWC's top-ranked player, and the Missionaries are poised to wreak havoc with the rest of the conference. Unfortunately for Whitman, however, the season begins later this week with a few question marks hanging over the heads of Northam's top two recruits.
Gamble continues to nurse the chronic pain in his ankles and wrists that kept him playing at all last season at the University of California-Santa Cruz, one of the nation's perennial NCAA Div. III tennis powerhouses. "The problem at this point isn't as bad as it was last year, but we really don't know how many matches he'll be able to play this season," Northam said. "Our goal is to have Trevor ready to play against the strongest teams in our conference and region, but we know he's not going to play in all of our matches."
Spiegel also figures to miss some matches, but not because of health problems. Part of what brought him to campus was Whitman's nationally-ranked speech and debate program, which hits its busy season at the same time as the tennis program.
Round one in Spiegel's juggling act takes place this Saturday, Feb. 3, when the Missionaries open their tennis season with a non-conference match at Lewis-Clark State College, one of the nation's top NAIA programs. While Spiegel won't be available, Gamble may play both singles and doubles, Northam said. "Trevor has been feeling good this week, so we'll see how he feels on Saturday."
"LCSC is probably the best team we'll face all season, and we'll play them a second time late in the season," Northam said. "We are play a tough schedule, just as we did last year. We'll play about 30 percent of our matches against teams that are top 20 in the nation."
Whitman sees its first home action when it hosts a series of four matches on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 9-10, in the Bratton Tennis Center. That weekend includes NWC matches against Linfield and Whitworth, and non-conference battles with NCAA Div. II Seattle University and the NAIA's Albertson College.
Whitman's biggest test of the season will serve as a rare treat for local tennis fans. On Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 17-18, the Missionaries will host the first-ever NCAA Div. III Indoor National Championship. The field includes defending national champion Trinity University (San Antonio, Texas) and four other top-ranked teams from around the country.
"It's clear that Whitman will be the underdog in this tournament," Northam admits. "But we'll be playing at home, on our own courts. We aspire to be one of the best Division III programs in the country, and we need to know what the competition is like."
Whitman's schedule includes a total of 12 matches against NWC opponents. The Missionaries will defend their conference title in late April.
"The conference includes at least three very good teams -- Whitman, Pacific Lutheran and Linfield," Northam said. "All three teams are very close in terms of ability. There will be some interesting match-ups."
Pacific Lutheran lost its top two players to graduation, but Peter Lunoe returns to give the Lutes one of the top players in the NWC. "PLU also has a very deep roster," Northam said. "Of their top eight players, any one of them could play No. 1 singles for them."
Linfield will be this spring's "biggest surprise," Northam said. "Their coach has done a great job of bringing in new players, some very serious players. Linfield also will have a talented and deep roster. Beyond that, Puget Sound returns most of its roster and could be a wild card this season."
Whitman's hopes of defending its NWC title start with Mullin, a court-savvy player who compiled 42 victories last spring, competing as a sophomore at the top singles and doubles spots. In the NCAA Div. III singles rankings, Mullin is No. 7 in the West Region and No. 22 nationally. PLU's Lunoe is No. 19 in the West, but no other NWC player is currently ranked in the top 50 nationally.
"Going into the spring season, Tim is definitely the guy to beat in the Northwest Conference," Northam said. "I don't think anyone will dispute that. It'll be interesting to see how Tim plays as the front-runner, with everyone coming after him."
Mullin split time last season with the now graduated Geoff Mayes in the No. 1 singles spot. Mayes was undefeated against NWC opponents, never losing a set all season. Graduation also claimed Eric Bartee, Mullin's No. 1 doubles partner and the team's No. 3 singles player. Mayes and Mullin both earned first-team all-NWC honors last spring, while Bartee was named to the second team.
"We lost two very good players in Geoff and Eric, but we gained two very good players in Trevor and Sam who certainly have the potential to take their places," Northam said. Gamble in particular has the potential to be a "major impact player," Northam said. "He has the ability to be one of the very best Division III players in the country, especially if he stays healthy."
The long and lanky Gamble has a "cannon for a serve," Northam said. "His serve was clocked at 119 miles per hour when he was 15 years old. His serve is what we call Trevorizing the ball. He has a monster serve and monster ground strokes. When he's playing well, he can literally knock people off the court."
Whitman's chances for a second straight NWC title also hinge heavily on Gamble's health. "There's no question that we will be a different team when Trevor is healthy and on the court," Northam said. "We also need Sam on the court as much as possible."
Two juniors, Nick Dupuis and Owen Bargreen, are next in line for the No. 4 and No. 5 singles spots. "Both players have worked hard on their games," Northam said. "Nick is hitting the ball very well right now, and Owen is a good, solid player."
The No. 6 singles spot is wide open, primarily because junior Rick Smith is off campus this semester on foreign study. Smith filled the final singles spot for much of last season. Players hoping to fill Smith's opening are junior Jonathan Drugge and sophomores Graham Sumioka and Evan Chiang. Newcomers on the roster include sophomore Zach Izzard and freshmen Gaurav Garg, Ye-San Lin and Jonah Stinson.
Mullin and Gamble will start the season as Whitman's No. 1 doubles tandem, while Dupuis and Spiegel are ticketed for No. 2 doubles. Drugge, Sumioka and Chiang are among the possibilities for No. 3 doubles.
Now in his fourth season as Whitman's coach, Northam has guided the Missionaries to a 23-3 record against conference opponents over the past two years.
Dave Holden, Whitman Sports Information, (509) 527-5902
Email: holden@whitman.edu