Page 14
The Behrend Beacon
by Lauren Packer
editor in chief
Head coach Jeff Barger thought his team's win
over Waynesburg on Feb. 28 was just another
ordinary win. It wasn't until one of his players
congratulated him on becoming the all-time
winningest coach that Barger realized this win was
different.
"I don't really pay attention to that type of stuff,"
Barger said. "I guess I get credit for the victory,
but all I really do is send the players out there.
They are the ones who earn the wins and losses."
Barger surpassed Herb Lauffer, who coached
from 1969-77. Barger set the new record with 42
wins and currently has 47. He has 104 total wins,
64 total on the women's side. Barger already holds
the all-time wins record for women's tennis.
And Barger has had his share of talented players
since he came to Behrend in 1998. During his six
years as head coach at Behrend, the three-time
AMCC Coach of the Year has guided the women's
team to three AMCC championships in five years.
From 2000 to present, Barger has produced five
first-team all-conference selections on the men's
side and seven on the women's side. In 2000 and
2001, Barger coached Julie Leininger and Angela
Albertson to Player of the Year honors.
Unofficially, Barger can be named all-time
winningest head coach of the AMCC, according
to Brian Streeter, director of athletics. The AMCC
has been in existence for seven years, and Barger
is the only coach to have remained in the
conference for six or more years.
Despite this success, Barger is quick to shift the
focus on the players and give them the credit.
"Most of the players are already established
tennis players," explained Barger. "I don't try to
Baseball team splits
doubleheader with
Penn State Altoona
by C.). lanini
staff writer
The Penn
, State Behrend baseball team
opened AMCC conference play on Tuesday
against Penn State Altoona.
The Lions split the doubleheader with
Altoona, with Behrend winning the first
game 7-3 and Altoona capturing the win in
the second game, 2-1.
In the first game, sophomore Chris
McCartney pitched all seven innings for the
Lions. Within those seven innings,
McCartney only gave up five hits, had six
strikeouts and provided no earned runs for
the Lions.
On the other side of the ball, the Lions
were led by last year's AMCC Conference
player of the year, senior Adam Best. Best
went three for four from the plate, hitting a
double as well as a triple. He also drove in
three runs and hit the only homerun of the
game.
Senior Tyler Wiand contributed to the
Behrend win, driving in two runs of his own.
Designated hitter Mike Couts provided one
RBI as well.
Offensively, the Lions racked up seven
runs in seven innings. Six players provided
hits for the team, all playing a role in the Behrend
win. The win in game one pushed the Lions' over
all record to 6-4, 1-0 in conference play.
In game two of the doubleheader the Lions fell
short on finding production from the bat. The team
had three hits in seven innings. Sophomore Tony
Kordecki led Behrend with one hit and one RBI.
Best and senior Tony Azzato provided two more
additional hits, but the Lions were unable to drive
in the tying or go-ahead run.
Defensively, game two showed some young
depth within the Behrend bullpen. Freshman Chris
tian Necheff pitched four innings, only giving up
three hits and one earned run. Relieving Necheff
was another freshmen, Brian Hart. Hart pitched
Housing & 6 4 7 1
Food Service
Athlete
of the
Week
change too much if it is working. With tennis, it's
tough to try and change somebody's style."
He realizes his players' talent and lets them work
on their own
"I try to get them to make the changes
themselves," Barger said. "They are smart enough
to figure it out. When they can't or don't want to,
that's where I step in. I'm pretty laid back if
somebody is playing up to his or her potential.
Most of all, I try to make them feel relaxed. If
they are feeling pressured, it's not coming from
me."
Barger credits his laid-back style of coaching
to two former high school coaches, Jim Kelso and
Russ Storll. Through the years, the three have
remained in contact with each other, playing golf,
talking tennis and "hanging out." Kelso has since
moved to Florida and Storll is deceased.
"They were huge influences for me," Barger
said. "I can remember things little things about
them that I can't remember about other coaches.
They had such a positive demeanor, never getting
too pissed off or too low."
Every now and then, Barger finds himself acting
like the two.
"Some days at practice I can catch myself saying
little things that those two did."
Accepting Behrend's offer to coach tennis and
teach ESACT classes came as a chance. Barger
previously coached high school women's
basketball for 11 years and then men's and
women's tennis for five years.
"At the time, I was looking for a career change,"
Barger said. "I figured it was probably now or
never, so I took the chance."
Coaching has provided Barger with the
opportunity to stay involved in sports. An active
athlete in high school and a letterwinner in tennis
The baseball team opened conference play on
Tuesday, splitting a doubleheader at Penn State
Altoona.
two innings, giving up only one hit and no earned
runs for the Lions.
"We feel very good about our freshmen class,"
said head coach Paul Benim. "They have the po
tential to be our strongest recruiting class."
With the loss in game two, Behrend pushed their
overall record to 6-5, I - I in conference play. Noth
ing to worry about yet, as this team last year began
the season 0-4 and still went on to win the AMCC
Conference and ECAC Southern Region Title.
"We have high expectations for this season," said
Benim.
Yesterday the men swept Hilbert in its double
header home-opener. Next the Lions will take on
Frostburg State on Saturda .
Brian Espin
,
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• • : •
Friday, March 26, 2004
during college at Fredonia State
University, he explained why
coaching seems a perfect fit for him.
"I always enjoyed sports and after
you're done playing, you look for a
way to stay involved in your sports,"
Barger said. "It's not your run-of-the
mill job because it's different every
day, every year. It fills the void when
you aren't playing anymore."
What keeps Barger coming back,
season after season, is the players. He
still keeps in touch with a good
amount of past players, who he
"guesses...liked me and still like me. -
In addition to the friendships forged
through the seasons, the players have
provided Barger with on the court
memories that have stuck with him
throughout the years.
"Senior Angela Albertson was
trailing 5-1 in the second set after
already having lost the first set against
Frostburg in the AMCC
championship," Barger recounted.
"She fought back and eventually won
the match, but watching her struggle
was just an emotionally feeling for me.
She was losing and I knew she was
going to be heartbroken if she lost her
last match. It felt so good to see her
battle back and win, and then to be
named Player of the Year later, it just felt really
good for her."
That individual accomplishment has stuck in
Barger's memory since Albertson pulled of the
impossible in 2001. Another trip down, not so far
back memory lane for Barger stirred thoughts of
Tennis begins AMCC play,
shuts out Pill-Greensburg
by Amy Frizzell
sports editor
After coming off three consecutive losses, the
men's tennis team was able to bounce back on Sat
urday against Pitt-Greensburg, when the team de
feated the Bobcats 9-0 in its conference play opener.
"Being our first conference match we were re
ally confident," said coach Jeff Barger. "We played
really well."
The Lions were forced to play without its No. 1
player, junior Ryan Deimel, due to a one-match sus
pension. This might of been a setback but the team
was able to still focus and pick up its first confer-
ence win
"We knew the loss of Ryan was going to be tough
but we just had to give it everything we had," said
freshman Brian Espin.
Sophomore John Marini stepped into the No. 1
postion, coming away with a 6-2, 6-1 win. Sopho
more Jon Barber took over the No. 2, spot where
he won 6-1, 6-1.
Espin beat out Greensburg's No. 3, 6-2, 6-0,
while sophomore Kevin Fiorenzo took the win at
No. 4, 6-0, 6-0. Freshman Matt Meyer finished out
the winning ways at fifth singles, 6-2, 6-0.
Barber and Espin took charge at first doubles in
place of Marini and Deimel, winning 8-2. Meyer
and freshman Garrett Grenek served up an ace at
second doubles, winning 8-0 and sealing the deal
for a shut-out victory.
"I'm ecstactic about our team's performance
against Greensburg," said Barber. "We all stepped
up to the challenge."
The team's spirits may have been in the dumps
returning from Hilton Head but after its blowout
win the team has regained some much needed con
fidence.
"We played very strong. It definitely gave us
confidence," said Espin. "I think this is the inspi
ration the team needed to hopefully set off a win
ning streak that will last the rest of the season."
Not only did the team earn a much needed win,
two members also earned athletic honors. Barber
was named AMCC Player of the Week for his win
at second singles and first doubles. Espin was
named Housing and Food Services Athlete of the
Week for his wins at third singles and first doubles.
Sport: Men's Tennis
Class: Freshmen Sco enberger 8-1. In
Date: March 22, 200 in defeated Josh
and 6-o, help-
During Penn B d ke the win
Behrend's first co e v Gr g, 9-0.
match-up agains
Greensburg, Espin won
both the No. i doubles
and the No. 3 singles
Paired up with Jon Bar
he defeated Tim Lang and
Kevin Fiorenzo & Amy Frizzell
Men's and women's tennis coach Jeff Barger is in his
sixth season here at Behrend, gathering 104 victories
in that time.
a great team accomplishment.
"The 2002 men's team was just a bunch of
overachievers," laughed Barger. "One day it just
came together and out of nowhere we beat
Frostburg to take second. It still is hard to believe
that we took second."
"I'm honored to have this great recognition of
achievement," said Barber of receiving the season's
first AMCC Player of the Week award.
"It's an incredible feeling," said Espin. "Barber
and I have a huge confidence boost. We're both
stoked."
"I think it's great for the team and Behrend ten
nis," said Barger. "It's the first week for AMCC
Player of the Week and it's nice to have someone
from our team be named it along with Espin being
Housing and Food Services. It's great for their con
fidence and also the recognition of the team."
With only nine matches left the team is looking
toward a winning streak. But first it will have to
get past Penn State Altoona and Frostburg State,
two teams that are projected to be the team's big
gest challenge.
"Altoona and Frostburg will be our toughest op
ponents left this season," said Barger. "They are
conference matches, which means we have to play
them twice. We're going to have to prep between
matches."
The Lions will face Altoona for the first time on
Saturday. The team has been building on its confi
dence all week as it has been fine-tuning its
strengths and building on its weaknesses.
"We've been focusing on strong doubles," said
Espin. "Which was somewhat lacking in Hilton
Head."
"We're working on our overall game, practicing
everytime," said Barger. "But doubles is definately
key."
With the match coming up, the team has not
shown a sign of withering confidence.
"We feel confident we'll pull out a win," said
Barber.
"I think that if we play strong doubles it will set
the tone for the rest of the match," said Barger.
"They'll only have 2-3 matches played while we
will have 13 under our belts, which gives us an ad
vantage since we've played together longer."
Not only is the team projecting a win on Satur
day it is also looking to not lose another match.
"We feel we should go undefeated," said Barber.
"As long as we have no more injuries we should
be fine," said Barger.
After the Lions take on Altoona on Saturday they
will host Thiel on Sunday.
lue and
a home con
against Penn
Saturday at
noon.