The Washington & Jefferson College men's tennis squad begins its spring 2020 slate on Feb. 29 against Penn State Altoona at the Peters Township Tennis Center at 5:00 p.m. The Presidents' lineup features three returning all-conference performers for 2020.
 
Preseason Poll:

1. Grove City - 48 points (five first-place votes)
2. Washington & Jefferson - 45 points (3)
3. Saint Vincent - 34 points
4. Geneva - 32 points
5. Westminster - 22 points
6. Waynesburg - 21 points
7. Thiel - 12 points
8. Bethany - 11 points

Team Captains: Stephen Mehlbaum and Nate Wang
 
PAC Players to Watch: Sam Bellini and Nate Wang
 
Returners: W&J returns its top three singles plays, all of whom earned All-PAC accolades last spring.
 
"Last spring was an amazing experience and we learned what it takes to win the conference championship," said 2019 Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Coach of the Year Chris Faulk. "I think that was huge for our team to prove to themselves that they could accomplish that goal. We obviously graduated a few starters from last year so things will look a bit different this season. We still have some good veteran experience in our lineup and I expect that we will go far thanks to our leadership."
 
Junior Nate Wang (Venetia, Pa./Peters Township) put together an outstanding 2019 season in which he was named the PAC Player of the Year and earned All-PAC First Team honors in singles and doubles play. He posted a 13-3 overall record at No. 1 singles and went unbeaten (7-0) in league play.
 
"I have known Nate since he was in junior tennis clinics as a 12-year old and it has been awesome to watch him grow and develop into the player he is now," said Faulk. "He is easily one of the best if not THE best men's tennis player I have ever coached at W&J. His understanding of the game is excellent and he has done a wonderful job in helping his teammates learn and grow as well over the past three years. Leadership comes naturally to him and that's a great quality to have."
 
At No. 2 singles, junior Sam Bellini (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mount Lebanon) burst onto the scene in his first year for the Red and Black. Bellini was First Team All-PAC at No. 2 singles after a 10-3 season which included a 7-0 mark in conference play.
 
"We couldn't be luckier to have picked up Sam," said Faulk. "I knew he would be a great fit on our team and he proved that right away. Sam is one of the toughest players in the conference to rattle. He is extremely level-headed and, like Nate, he understands the game so well that he is one player you can never count out."
 
Wang and Bellini were named All-PAC First Team at No. 1 singles. The duo posted a 7-0 PAC record and were 12-4 overall.
 
Senior Stephen Mehlbaum (Sellersville, Pa./Pennridge) returns after a strong season primarily at No. 3 singles. He posted a 13-4 overall record and went 6-1 in PAC play. Mehlbaum was All-PAC Second Team at No. 3 singles and All-PAC Seond Team at No. 2 doubles. Mehlbaum and then-senior Max Perilstein went 10-6 in doubles play, 5-2 in the PAC.
 
"Steve has made major improvements to both his mental and physical game since his freshmen year," said Faulk. "He was a very talented player when he came to W&J but needed to figure out how to put it all together, and last year he did just that. Steve has worked so hard to better himself on the court and it paid off in the best way possible last year. I am excited to see what he can do in his senior season."
 
Seniors Derek Bedillion (Claysville, Pa./McGuffey) and Nathan Tnag (Malvern, Pa./Great Valley) and sophomores James Gunn (Beaver Falls, Pa./Riverside) and William Gunn (Beaver Falls, Pa./Riverside) round out the President returners for 2020.
 
"Having graduated several starters last year we will see some new guys rounding out the lineup this year," said Faulk. "We may very well see Jimmy Gunn, Nate Tang, and Derek Bedillion in starting rolls. Billy Gunn unfortunately may be out for the season due to injury, but if healthy, he would certainly be in the running for a starting spot as well. I can't wait to see what these guys can do. They all have a bit of starting experience and I can say that each of them has been getting better and better on the practice court."
 
Newcomers: After saying goodbye to four seniors in 2019, W&J welcomes three newcomers into the fold for 2020.
 
Senior Jonathan Howland (Goshen, KY / North Oldham)
Freshmen Jacob Black (McKees Rocks, PA / Montour)
Freshman Josh Freeman (Gastonia, NC / Ashbrook)
 
Conference Opener: W&J hosts Thiel on Mar. 30 at 6:00 p.m. The Red & Black boasts a 41-6 all-time record against their league foe.
 
Last Word: "Our goal is the same as last year; to win the PAC Tournament," said Faulk. "Things will be a little different this year as we have some new faces in the lineup. That just means that we will be looking at some new doubles pairings and possibly some players shifting around the lineup in the early part of the season. That said, we are still a very talented team who knows what it takes to win. This should be a great season."