North Bay – March 2010
Warriors Secure CCAA National Ranking
In just a year — 365 days — Verek Visaraga has turned a brand-new collegiate program into a national power. Entering year No. 2 as coach of the newly reinstated Cal State Stanislaus women’s team, Visaraga is in a state of near-euphoria-busy, but still euphoric.
“This year, I was flooded with e-mails from kids interested in the program,” he said. “I couldn’t possibly have written the story any better myself.”
The Warriors are ranked No. 17 in the country entering the ‘10 dual-match season and No. 3 in the West Region. Stanislaus is the highest nationally ranked CCAA team, ahead of even six-time defending champ UC-San Diego.
Individually, they boast two top-25 talents in Vanesa Reibstein and reigning CCAA MVP Verena Preikschas. Preikschas is undefeated in conference play following a 20-0 combined mark in singles and doubles in ‘09 (and she’s only a sophomore). A pair of recruits — Arina Polovnikova and Erin McGurty — will also both make an immediate impact on the lineup.
“Both of them were junior college All-Americans,” Visaraga explained.
Thanks to the influx of new talent and return of existing talent, Visaraga admits the bar has most definitely been raised.
“It was easier last year when no one knew us,” he said. “Now we have more of a target on our back. With our top three or four we can compete with most Division II schools.”
What’s In a Name?: Bay Cup is Now Marin Cup
The Marin Cup’s identity crisis is officially over. Four years ago, after renaming the three-plus decade old doubles event, the short-lived Bay Cup is now once again the Marin Cup. Mt. Tam RC will host the 35th annual doubles affair Feb. 25-28 and entertain challengers Rolling Hills, Marin TC and Harbor Point. The round-robin team event will feature men’s, women’s and mixed 3.0-4.5 divisional play. Mt. Tam is the reigning two-time titlist, but club execs say a three-peat isn’t a focus.
“The truth is, we like being the host first and the target second,” said Mt. Tam GM Rod Heckelman. “It’s really fun to see all the larger clubs in Marin compete in this fashion where most levels of play are represented and all have equal status in contributing to the outcome. Our theme makes it more of a party than a competition.”
In conjunction with the Marin Cup doubles event, Mt. Tam will host its second $2,000 Men’s Open doubles tournament in four months. Mt. Tam tournament director Steve Summer and pro Shibu Lal won the four-night November doubles event and will look to cash in again. The Open event will run concurrently with the Marin Cup and will be played the evening following each day of Cup action.
Harbor Point Receives IJ Decade Honors
Harbor Point was recently named the Marin Independent Journal’s Tennis Club of the Decade, citing the success of Harbor Point teams in the county and for participation in National competition. Over the last 10 years, Harbor Point has sent five teams to the nationals: ‘05 women’s 4.5 captained by Prentiss VandenBerg; ‘07 women’s 4.5 team captained by Chrissie Costamagna; men’s senior 4.0 captained by Wiley Wright; ‘06 men’s 5.5 team captained by Tony Marshall; and ‘08 men’s co-captained by Marc Lamonica. The women’s 4.5 team captained by Chrissie Costamagna and the men’s 5.5 team captained by Tony Marshall were voted the teams of the decade.
“We pride ourselves in the quality and success of all of our teams, however, a lot of the success of our teams stems from the tremendous support our teams and captains receive from the Kaliski family, who own the club, and in particular Bob Kaliski, our GM,” said TD Gordon Smith.
In Brief
According to Rafael RC GM Chris Horne, club members will soon vote on a proposed $3 million renovation project that, if approved, would break ground in the fall. This proposal includes a new aquatics facility, renovation of all the tennis courts and an expanded fitness center.
Did anybody catch ESPN analyst/San Rafael resident Brad Gilbert repeatedly refer to the towering, 6-foot-6 Aussie Open semifinalist from Croatia as Marin “County” Cilic? Or his refernce to NorCal-based Peet’s Coffee? Thanks for the shoutout, BG.
Scott Valley Swimming and TC’s Tricia Satake, Deborah Dorosin, Kirsty Ellis, Kathleen Piombo, Barbara Sobel, Katherine Strick, Lisa Taft and Heather Young will make history this year, becoming the first-ever USTA women’s 2.5 squad in the club’s 36-year history. “It’s a first for us,” said Scott Valley tennis director Helle Sparre. The team will be captained by Satake, who went 12-2 in ‘09 with Scott Valley’s women’s 3.0 team.
Jeff Greenwald — a sports psychology consultant and author based in Corte Madera — captured the Nov. 30-Dec. 6 USTA 40s National Hard Court Championships in La Jolla, Calif., where the No. 7 seed surrendered just 16 games over five straight-set matches en route to the title. Greenwald upset No. 2 Peter Smith in the final 6-4, 6-1.
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