Winning three of their last four matches, the EC
Men’s Tennis team concluded one of their most
successful seasons to date. Finishing the year with a 6-6 overall
record and a 3-5 mark in Empire 8 play left the Soaring Eagles in
fifth place in the highly competitive E8 conference.
Leading the way for the 2011 Soaring Eagles was fourth year
standout
Gabe Cortes ’11 (Miami, FL -- Miami Country Day
School). The Miami native finished the year with an 8-2
mark at first

singles and a 5-5 doubles mark, playing primarily first doubles.
Cortes was recognized at the end of the season by
being named to the Empire 8 All-Conference First Team for singles.
In singles action he posted a 6-2 mark in conference play which was
highlighted with the defeat of regaining Empire 8 Player of the
Year Josh Rifkin ’11, a player who had not suffered a
conference loss since the spring of 2008.
Cortes will leave Elmira leading all major
statistical categories including single season singles &
doubles wins as well as career singles & doubles wins. With a
program setting career record of 58 wins Cortes will surely go down
in EC history as one of the all-time greats.
Teaming up with
Cortes in doubles play was Pennsylvania native
Eric Klinedinst ’12 (York, PA --
Northeastern).
Klinedinst posted a 5-4 mark at first doubles and
totaled a 6-3 singles record, playing first and second singles.
With a conference record of 4-2 at the second spot,
Klinedinst was an Empire 8 Honorable Mention
honoree. Of his 6 singles wins he only dropped 10 of 77 games
played.
The doubles combination of
Gorav Simlote ’13 (Syracuse, NY --
Jamesville-Dewitt) and
Sam Pine ’14 (Elmira Heights, NY -- Thomas
Edison) boasted the best doubles record of the 2011 season
for Elmira at 7-4. Posting records of 2-1 at second doubles and 5-3
at third, the duo earned Empire 8 Honorable Mention status.
Simlote claimed another doubles win on the season
as he teamed up with
Klinedinst for a win at the first spot. In singles
play he had an even mark with 6 wins and 6 losses playing third and
fourth singles.
Pine had a solid season in singles play as well,
picking up 6 wins at the fifth and sixth singles positions.
Playing primarily second doubles,
Ryan Patterson ’11 (Brattleboro, VT --
Brattleboro Union) and
Steffan Waters ’13 (Elmira, NY -- Elmira Free
Academy) combined for four wins, two coming against
conference opponents. Their 8-3 win over Alfred University at the
second spot was a key factor as Elmira would go on to victory,
edging the Saxons 6-3.
Patterson would also earn 2 singles wins, one at
third and the other at the second position.
Waters would claim four singles victories at the
fourth and fifth spots.
Tim Wagner ’11 (Corinth, NY --
Corinth) was named one of Elmira’s
tri-captains in his final season with the Purple and Gold.
Wagner saw time at sixth singles and third doubles
during the 2011 campaign. Against E8 foe Hartwick College
Wagner was a double winner as he earned an 8-0 win
at third doubles and concluded the afternoon with a 6-3, 6-4 win at
sixth singles, sealing a 5-4 win for Elmira. He was also
EC’s representative for Empire 8 Sportsman of the Year.
Gene Albury ’13 (Nassau, BS -- St.
Andrew's) and
Rashad Curry ’12 (Nassau, BS -- St.
Anne's) made vast improvements in their development as
they saw time in exhibition matches for both singles and doubles.
Elmira will lose
Cortes,
Patterson, and
Wagner to graduation.