FIGHTING TIGER MEN’S TENNIS PROGRAM PREPARES FOR 2004 SEASON

SUNY Cobleskill first-year Head Coach John Tassone makes no bones about what he expects out of his Fighting Tigers during the 2004 season. “We’re going to revive this program through hard work, determination and perseverance. I am pleased with our early season workouts and I’m looking forward to this being a season of growth from which we’re able to build on.”

Returning for the Fighting Tigers will be experienced seniors Rich Blasetti, Valhalla, NY, Valhalla High School, and senior Matt Fagan, Schoharie, NY, Schoharie High School. Cobleskill will also receive help in the form of transfer freshman Derek Norberg, Middleburgh, NY, Middleburgh High School, and freshman Hiroyuki Yokogaw, Fukuoka, Japan, Fukuoka Academy.

“Fagan and Blassetti are going to provide us with needed experience and Norberg is a very talented player who was successful during his high school career,” commented Coach Tassone. “Yokogaw has a tennis background and I’ve seen improvement in some of our other people. If things go according to plan, I would like us to be competing at a regional level this season.”

Coach Tassone was an NJCAA All-American at Onondaga Community College during his playing career and led the Fighting Tiger women’s program to a fifth place finish at the 2003 Region III Championships, hosted by SUNY Cobleskill, this past October.