Chapman Men Will Seek Third Tennis Crown in Four Years

The Chapman College men’s tennis team will be seeking its third NCAA Division II championship in the past four years when it plays at Sonoma State May 16-22.

Chapman, the defending national champion and third-ranked in the Division II poll, was one of eight teams chosen Monday. Other teams selected include top-ranked Hampton University, No. 2 Rollins, Cal Poly Luis Obispo, UC Riverside, Southern Illinois Edwardsville and Ferris State of Big Rapids, Mich.

Chapman won the 1985 and 1987 national championships and lost to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in the 1986 final.

At last year’s nationals, top-seeded Chapman defeated Hampton to win the championship.

The individual tournament will be held May 19-22 also at Sonoma. Chapman’s Miles Walker (37-9 with 17 victories over Division I players and the top-ranked singles player in the NCAA Division II poll), was one of four Chapman singles players selected.

Walker, a semifinalist in last year’s individual tournament, will be joined by teammates Olivier Amerlinck (29-12), Paul Charlesworth (21-12) and Allen Juinio (19-12).

The Chapman doubles teams chosen include Walker and Amerlinck (13-8), Charlesworth and Barry Hancock (7-4) and Juinio and David Seline (5-4).

Hancock teamed with Paul Wekesa to win last year’s individual doubles title.