Coaching changes, return to Big Sky highlight offseason for Idaho
The year 1978 was the last time the Idaho men’s tennis team had won a conference championship, and in both 2012 and 2013, the Vandals found themselves in the WAC Championship, losing both times. In the 2014 season, the 36-year drought finally came to an end as Idaho captured the WAC championship and a berth into the NCAA Tournament. Former Idaho coach Jeff Beaman was honored as WAC Coach of the Year, Jose Bendeck won WAC Player of the Year and Idaho lost to No. 1 ranked and eventual national champion USC in the tournament.
Nathan Romans | Argonaut
Senior Cristobal Ramos Salazar in practice Wednesday. Salazar will compete in the EWU Fall Classic from Sept. 26-28.
Just one year later, things look a lot different for the Vandals. Coach Beaman is gone after joining the tennis staff at Washington State. Idaho has yet to hire a new head coach, and will begin the season that way. The Vandals play at the Eastern Washington University Fall Classic Friday to Sunday.
In the meantime, Art Hoomiratana, originally hired as associate head coach under Beaman during the summer, will coach the men’s team until a head coach is hired. He served as a volunteer assistant coach for both the men’s and women’s tennis teams last year. For the fall season, the Vandals will play in four tournaments, and Hoomiratana will look to keep the team’s success from last season going.
“It’s a completely different team, so, we lost some guys,” Hoomiratana said. “And last year it was kind of a rough go at it cause we didn’t have a winning record, but we played well at the end … It really boils down to just taking each tournament, each match one at a time, practice one at a time.”
With a new roster, the Vandals need players to step up all across the roster. Hailing from Hermosillo, Mexico, Cristobal Ramos Salazar took home first-team All-WAC honors in doubles play and second-team All-WAC honors in singles last year, and is the only senior on the roster. His leadership will be key to help keep the team focused with the uncertainty surrounding the coaching situation.
“I think (not having a head coach) primarily is affecting the freshmen, cause they don’t know what’s going on in college and I think they need a coach, but I think seniors and juniors can be affected as much as them,” Ramos Salazar said.
Taking on a leadership role is something Ramos Salazar has already started. In particular with freshman Felipe Fonseca from Curitiba, Brazil. Fonseca comes to Idaho after a big year in Brazil, where at just age 16, he finished the year ranked No. 6 in Brazil, as well as No. 1 in his state.
“I kinda do that with (Fonseca), he is very young, 17 (years old). I want to make him be good at tennis and not waste two years in understanding how college works,” Ramos Salazar said.
Fonseca isn’t the only big player to join the Vandals this season, as Jackson Varney comes to Idaho from Prairie View A&M. The former Panther racked up the accolades in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, being honored as SWAC Player of the Year twice, including his freshman year where he also won SWAC Freshman of the Year. Originally from Canbarra, Australia, the junior says he chose Idaho for a number of reasons.
“We were the best in our conference (at Prairie View A&M), but I wanted something different so I came here,” Varney said. “The old coach Jeff Beaman got in touch with me before I even asked for my release — he knew I was thinking about transferring. I talked to the coaches, talked to the players here, already knew a few people here, seemed like a great deal to me. I’m loving it here so far.”
He also said the Vandals’ competition is tougher than the SWAC.
Nathan Romans | Argonaut
Senior Cristobal Ramos Salazar returns a volley during practice Wednesday.
“When I went to Prairie View the competition wasn’t as tough, I sort of had to dumb down what I was doing,” Varney said. “Here it’s good. I’m getting some good, decent play, and I mean the boys on the team, they’re ready.”
Varney will get his first taste of new competition this weekend at the Eastern Washington Fall Classic. In October, the Vandals will travel to Boise for the Boise Fall Invite Oct. 3 to 5, followed by the ITA Regionals in Las Vegas Oct 15 to 19. Then to end the fall season, the team will compete in the Gonzaga Fall Tournament in Spokane Oct. 24 to 26.
Along with Varney and Ramos Salazar, Idaho will look to other players to contribute this year, especially returning players like Junior Andrew Zedde from Canberra, Australia, and Junior Odon Barta of Budapest, Hungary.
Ben Evensen can be reached at [email protected]