The Goshen College tennis teams are transitioning from a fall season to a spring season, aligning with the rest of the country.  The move brings new opportunities, challenges, and a shift in team dynamics for both the men’s and women’s programs. The most immediate benefit of moving to a spring season is the extended preseason, which gives players more time to bond and prepare.  Matija Margetic, a junior on the men’s team, said the longer preseason will allow for better interaction within the team. “We get to team build more in the fall and figure out the best doubles combinations...

By Liliana Herrera • March 27, 2025 • Sports

Tennis has once again returned to Goshen College with both mens’ and womens’ teams kicking off their season last week. After promising opening week results, an injection of fresh blood into the program and being back at home in front of an excited student section, team morale is high with both players and staff hoping to achieve big things this season. The team’s home opener was last week against Spring Arbor. Both teams picked up victories, with the men winning 6-1 and the women winning 5-2. For the men, this was a one sided affair, with all of Goshen’s victories...

By Nathan Anderson • September 12, 2024 • Sports

The Goshen College men’s and women’s tennis teams kick off their spring season this weekend. Both will travel to Bethel University and Christian Brothers University in Tennessee before heading to South Haven, Mississippi for a match at Blue Mountain University. Carmen Aliaga, a sophomore on the women’s tennis team, said, “I think it’s exciting, especially since when I played in high school, it was always in the fall, never in the spring. We get to play more, which is what we as a team want.” Goshen’s tennis teams don’t typically have a full spring season, only playing a game or...

By Phil Witmer-Rich • February 1, 2024 • Sports

Of the 88 international students at Goshen College, 65 of them are student-athletes. For international athletes who are searching for a spot on a college roster in the U.S., the application process varied greatly. According to Matija Margetic, a sophomore from Croatia on the tennis team, his most important step in being recognized was getting into contact with an international sports agent. “I ended up hiring an agent because I had already seen an agent work with some of my friends, which was really, really helpful,” he said. “Okay, I cannot get any responses [alone], let me do that. …...

By Charlie Aldrich • October 12, 2023 • Sports

A lot can change in a year, and the Goshen College tennis teams have gotten used to staying on their toes both on and off the court.  For starters, less than a week before the season began, Jon Bemisderfer began his role as director of tennis, taking on the coaching of both teams. In addition to having a new coach, the teams had to travel for their games — even the home matches.  Due to the poor condition of the GC tennis courts, the teams moved their home games to Goshen Junior High School, for at least this year.  The...

By Kate Bodiker • October 5, 2023 • Sports

Men’s and women’s tennis are trusting in their early season improvements and new coaching adjustments to set themselves up for conference play. Last year the men’s and women’s tennis teams finished their seasons 7-6 and 4-9 respectively and have set bigger goals this season. The men’s team had a tough start against two conference powerhouses, losing to Grace College and Huntington University, teams who finished first and second respectively in last season’s conference standings. The men’s team is currently 1-4-1 after beating Spring Arbor, with their draw coming against Judson in a match cut short by lighting. The women’s team...

By Charlie Aldrich • September 14, 2023 • Sports

Last Saturday, the Goshen College men’s and women’s tennis teams started off their spring season with a win. The teams traveled to Terre Haute, Indiana where they competed against Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.  The teams competed indoors, since the temperature was in the low 20s. The men competed with a full lineup of six, while the women went in short-handed with four players, since three players were unable to compete. Meaghan Godzisz starts her serve. Photo contributed by Justin DeWeese Despite having to forfeit courts, the women still pulled ahead, beating Rose-Hulman 5-4. The men won as well, coming away...

By Meaghan Godzisz • March 23, 2023 • Sports

After seven years of coaching men’s and women’s tennis, Goshen College’s director of tennis, Evan Atkinson, resigned on Monday. “It’s bittersweet,” he said. “I always thought I would be a part of this community until I died.”  Atkinson told the team of his decision after their match last Saturday, but officially handed in his resignation Monday.  “He loves the team,” said Hannah McCoy, a senior tennis player, “and he loves the program, so it kind of just came out of nowhere.” Atkinson said that he believes his decision to resign, though difficult, is the right decision for him and the...

By Daniel James • March 23, 2023 • News Sadie Brenneman • March 23, 2023 • News

A strong weekend for the Goshen College women’s soccer team was capped off by a Labor Day win over the West Virginia University Institute of Technology, as the Maple Leafs handed the Golden Bears a 6-0 drubbing. With goals from six different players — a feat that has not occurred since 2012 — the Leafs took control of the game from the first minute and never relinquished it.  “We have a lot of players that are staying after training, coming before training, so I think this result speaks to them and to what they’re willing to put in outside of...

By Daniel James • September 8, 2022 • Sports

Tennis is normally a fall sport, but this spring, the men’s and women’s teams will have an additional mini season.   The teams planned to have their first competition last Friday, Feb. 18 against Roosevelt University, but unforeseen circumstances forced Roosevelt to cancel the match.   Two matches remain on the schedule for the men’s team and one for the women’s team.   The men will compete against Olivet Nazarene University at 4 p.m. on Friday, March 18, at home, while the women will wait to kick off their season with a double header against Bethel University in April.   The players have been...

By Meaghan Godzisz • February 25, 2022 • Sports

Kevin Bollmann, a sophomore recruit from Switzerland, took action as the No. 1 singles player for the men’s tennis team this fall. Bollmann grew up in Reinach, Switzerland – a municipality within Basel-Country that is home to just under 20,000 people. He graduated from Gymnasium Münchenstein High School in 2020 and set his mind towards playing collegiate tennis nearly 5,000 miles away from home. This is Bollmann’s second year playing collegiate tennis in the United States, but only his first playing for Goshen College. His freshman year, he attended Lawrence Technical University (LTU) in Southfield, Michigan. “In my home country,...

By Meaghan Godzisz • November 4, 2021 • Sports

Both the Goshen College men’s and women’s tennis teams wrapped up their seasons this week. The men’s team finished 5-10 overall and 3-5 in the conference, while the women’s side ended the season 0-15. Evan Atkinson, head coach, said, “This was probably one of the most enjoyable teams I’ve ever coached.” “Our team is enthusiastic and passionate,” he said. “When I say team, I speak of both our men’s and women’s units because even though we compete separately, we are one family.” The two groups practiced, traveled, ate, and laughed together, all while supporting and encouraging each other throughout a...

By Graysen Cockerham • September 30, 2021 • Sports

Despite low numbers, the Goshen College men’s tennis team continues to prevail this fall season, having played in the quarterfinals of the Crossroads League Tournament this past Tuesday, Sept. 22, as the sixth seed, with a 3-5 conference record.  The Maple Leafs fell 6-1 at Marian University, though Javier Gallego Murcia, first year, took home a win at No. 1 singles.  With several injuries on the team, most Maple Leaf members played up a spot higher than usual.  Byeong Min Lim, senior, and Diego Torres, sophomore, joined late in the season so the team could continue to play in the...

By Record • September 24, 2020 • Sports

The Goshen College men’s tennis team is made up of six individuals, three of which are new to campus. But only one of these student-athletes committed to GC just a few months ago, 8,000 miles away from campus, having never seen the campus before. Possawat (Insee) Akarapan grew up in Bangkok, Thailand, but he always knew that he wanted to continue his collegiate tennis career in the U.S., though he was unsure which institution would be the best fit. “To get to Goshen,” Akarapan said, “I was at the website called Universal Tennis Rating, where you put your skill level...

By Kadie Daye • September 17, 2020 • Sports

Last Thursday, the men’s tennis team run at the Crossroads League Tournament came to an end. For the third year in a row, the Maple Leafs made it to the semifinals, but were unable to advance further. This year’s loss came at the hands of Indiana Wesleyan University with a score of 4-0. During the doubles matchup, Goshen’s Danny Boussom, a junior, and Luke Rush, a senior, were defeated 6-3, and the team of Martim Cafe, a junior, and Josh Friesen, a sophomore, were also defeated with a score of 6-1. The ruling in the Crossroads League Tournament meant that...

By Megan Bower • October 9, 2019 • Sports