WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- Based on his strong showing in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's fall tournaments, Whitman College senior Phalkun Mam has jumped to No. 5 in the NCAA Div. III national singles rankings.
It is the highest such ranking for a Whitman player since 1986. In the spring of that year, Whitman's Chris Gregerson capped his freshman season by advancing to the national singles title match. After losing that match to a graduating senior, he started his sophomore campaign with a No. 1 national ranking. As a junior, Gregerson transferred to NCAA Div. I Northwestern University to play final two collegiate seasons.
Mam vaulted into national prominence earlier this fall after winning the ITA West Regional singles title, beating senior teammate Steven Ly in the final of a tournament hosted by Whitman. Mam then grabbed one of only eight singles berths at the ITA National Small College Championships by beating the winner of the Southeast Regional in a play-in match.
After dropping a three-set decision in the opening round of the national tournament, Mam bounced back to win his next two matches and place fifth.
The latest ITA rankings, released last week, contained more good news for Whitman. As a team, the Missionary men's squad is ranked No. 16 nationally and No. 5 in the West Region. In the regional singles rankings, Mam is No. 2, one spot in front of Ly. Michael Starr, who plays for Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, is the top-ranked player in the region as well as the nation.
Robbie Munday, a third Whitman senior, is No. 17 in the regional rankings. Christoph Fuchs, a Whitman sophomore playing his first season of college tennis, is No. 29.
"It's great to have four players ranked in the region's top 30," Whitman men's tennis coach Jeff Northam said. "I don't think that's ever happened at Whitman."
In the regional doubles rankings, Whitman freshmen Matt Solomon and Nadeem Kassam are ranked No. 5. Mam and Ly are ranked No. 12. "I truthfully think that Steven and Phalkun also belong in the top five in doubles," Northam said.
Solomon and Kassam won the ITA's West Region doubles title in late September but then dropped a national play-in match in two close sets to Eric White and Daniel Quinones, a pair of seniors at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. White and Quinones advanced as far as the national tournament's title match before losing.
Traditionally one of the favorites for the Northwest Conference championship, Whitman kicks off its spring season with four dual matches on the weekend of Feb. 9-11. This year's NWC Championships are set for April 20-21.
Dave Holden, Whitman Sports Information
(509) 527-5902; holden@whitman.edu