ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College men's tennis team returns to action on Sunday, hosting its first dual match of the 2022-23 season against Drew University. After a long break from the conclusion of the fall season, the Bombers will begin its spring campaign and will eventually embark on Liberty League play. 
 
The Bombers will look to return to winning ways after struggling late last season and will do so without two of its top athletes and top doubles partnership, Minos Stavrakas and Artem Khaybullin, who both graduated last spring. Stavrakas posted a career 62–34 record in singles and a 49–44 record in doubles, earning multiple All-Conference accolades over the course of his career. Khaybullin finished last season with a 9–7 record in doubles and a top performer in singles finishing with seven wins. 
 
Head coach Chris Hayes has high expectations for his men's side as the team rosters many experienced upperclassmen and a promising group of underclassmen. Hayes enters his sixth season at Ithaca College in a coaching capacity, leading both the men's and women's teams as head coach since the 2020-21 season.
 
"I am really excited for this men's team this season," Hayes said. "We have a strong clash of young talent and experienced players that are ready to put their best foot forward in the Liberty League."
 
This year's team is captained by senior Max Sobel and juniors, Nicolas Luis and Jacob Wachs. Junior Eric Dubilirer will also be an integral leader for the team, competing in important spots for the Bombers. 
 
Luis will headline the group as the Spanish International looks to build on his performances in the fall season. Luis earned a victory in the main draws of the St. Lawrence Fall Classic and the College of New Jersey Invitational before falling to some of the top seeds in the bracket. Luis is primed for a strong season after posting a 10–7 singles record and 9–8 doubles record in 2021-22.
 
Luis also found success in doubles competition, partnering in the fall with first year Jimin Woo. The duo fell in the "B" flight finals in the St. Lawrence Fall Classic and fell to the top seeded doubles team in the Northeast ITA.
 
Wachs also looks to improve after reaching the finals of the "D" flight of the St. Lawrence Fall Classic, losing in the finals by default to teammate Deon Kraft. Wachs finished last season with an 8-8 record in singles play and a 7–9 record in doubles.
 
Luis and Dubilirer both competed in the main singles draw of the Northeast ITA with Luis earning a win in the first round.
 
Sobel, Tyler Del Zoppo and Daniel Borenius will also be competent in important roles, looking to build off last season. The trio combined for an 8–3 record in singles matches and a 5–2 record in doubles matches.
 
Woo, Siddharth Vaada and Carlos Angeles Hernandez headline a big class of first year students and will showcase their talent and be important contributors this spring. Ean Lantzy and David Lubell will also contribute as first year students. 
 
The Bombers will spend most of the early part of the season on the road after its first match, traveling to Houghton College (2/12), and then to Rochester Institute of Technology (2/18) and Skidmore College (3/4) for its first two Liberty League contests.
 
The Bombers will travel to Orlando, Florida for their Spring Break, playing six matches in four days. The Bombers will face Coe College (3/13), Springfield College (3/13), Stevens Institute of Technology (3/14), Denison University (3/15), Colby-Sawyer College (3/15), and Carthage College (3/16).
 
Ithaca then returns to the South Hill to host the University of Rochester (3/22) and SUNY Oneonta (3/26). The Bombers return to Liberty League with away bouts against Union College (4/1) and Bard College (4/2) before finishing the regular season with a four-match homestand where the IC will face Hobart College (4/7), Vassar College (4/15), St. Lawrence University (4/22), and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (4/23).
 
The Bombers are in for another competitive season against a tough conference, but the experience and young talent of the team look to lead Ithaca toward its first Liberty League playoff appearance since 2019.