Tennis : 1988 Is Not a Rebuilding Year for Trojan Men

USC Coach Dick Leach has a longtime dream--winning a National Collegiate Athletic Assn. team title.

For Leach, 1987 looked as though it would be his breakthrough year in Athens, Ga. The Trojans swept through the season undefeated against top competition. But the Trojans just missed realizing Leach’s dream, losing a controversial semifinal match to the tournament host, the University of Georgia.

Now, as this year’s college season is getting under way, defending team champion Georgia is on top--tied with Stanford--in the preseason rankings. Not far behind is USC in third place. Other Southern California schools ranked in the top 20 are Pepperdine (No. 4), UCLA (6), UC Irvine (11) and Cal State Long Beach (19).

A look at the top local men’s teams:

USC--For those who thought the loss of No. 1 singles player Rick Leach and No. 2 Luke Jensen to the professional tour would mean a severe drop for USC in the rankings, that notion was quickly dispelled last fall. Senior Scott Melville, who won the NCAA doubles title last spring with Leach, began his emergence as a top singles player with his victory at the Volvo/Collegiate Championships at UCLA in November. Then, Coach Leach’s top recruit, Byron Black of Zimbabwe, won the Rolex/Southern California regional event at UC Irvine.

Some rebuilding year.

USC has another traditional asset--depth--this season. In addition to Melville, the No. 1-ranked singles player in the preseason poll, USC has five other players in the nation’s top 50: John Carras (No. 17), Jonas Wallgard (20), Black (27), Eric Amend (44) and Andy Olyphant (50).

A good early test for the Trojans was delayed when their match against Pepperdine was rained out Tuesday.

UCLA--Last year, even Coach Glenn Bassett openly wondered if his team’s inexperience might pose some problems.

But Bassett’s group came together by the end of the season and reached the finals of the NCAA team competition, losing to Georgia.

This season, there are other questions. Can the Bruins maintain or better their No. 6 ranking without No. 1 singles player Dan Nahirny?

Nahirny, who injured a knee in the team final against Georgia, will be watching from the sideline this season. And the Bruins weren’t helped by the loss of team captain Brett Greenwood (graduation), Otis Smith (pro tour) and Tim Trigueiro (transferred to Southern Methodist).

After last season, no one is really underestimating UCLA. The Bruins are led by No. 1 singles player Buff Farrow (No. 39), Patrick Galbraith (30) and Brigham Young transfer Robert Bierens (42).

UCLA’s most significant victory thus far was a 7-2 win Thursday against No. 23-ranked University of San Diego. The Bruin-Trojan rivalry resumes April 9 at UCLA and April 30 at USC.

PEPPERDINE--In 1987, it was generally believed USC had the best one-two combination in Leach and Jensen. However, it appears the Waves have an even stronger entry. Heading into this season, sophomore Andrew Sznajder from Canada is ranked among the favorites for an NCAA singles title. He compiled an 18-3 record in dual matches last season and, despite flopping at the NCAA individuals and the Volvo event in November, received a No. 2 ranking in the preseason poll.

Sznajder’s teammate Robby Weiss began his re-emergence last month. Weiss, who spent more time off the court with injuries than on the court last season, started off with a three-set victory over Sznajder in the Citrus Bowl tournament in Orlando, Fla., on New Year’s weekend. Next, Weiss won the National Collegiate tournament without dropping a set, and followed with another title at the Adidas Invitational.

Obviously, with the three tournament victories and a win over Melville, Weiss won’t be sitting at No. 48 in the country for long.

UC IRVINE--Despite reaching its highest national ranking in team history last season and winning a round at the NCAA team event, who knows how far Irvine might have progressed if not for an odd series of injuries.

Coach Greg Patton’s players managed to get in a car accident last February, and in the same month, another player slammed a door on his teammate’s hand.

Patton doesn’t think the strange events will continue.

“I’ve sold my soul,” he said. “I’ve said, ‘Let me be sick all year and let my guys be healthy.’ ”

Someone must have been listening. Patton’s players are healthy, but Patton was bedridden from Dec. 21-Jan. 6 and has had vertigo and limited hearing in his left ear since December.

Irvine is led by junior Mark Kaplan, who reached the NCAA individual semifinals last year. Kaplan is ranked No. 7 in the preseason poll, and teammate Trevor Kronemann is No. 33. Kronemann should move up in the next poll because of his victory over Sznajder in the Anteaters’ 7-2 loss to the Waves.