
No. 15 MGCCC brings back loaded lineup
PERKINSTON — Mississippi Gulf Coast was the state and region runners-up last year and won a pair of individual titles.
That was good news then, and it's great news now because a huge chunk of that lineup is back. The Bulldogs open the spring season Friday at Belhaven University, and their first home match on newly resurfaced courts at the MGCCC Tennis Complex is Feb. 13 when Hinds visits.
"It's one of the stronger teams I've had since I've been here," Gulf Coast coach Gary Bourgeois said. "There's a lot of depth. The top player in the state is coming back, Travis Bell. We've got an Australian kid coming in playing really well, Austin Vos."
His Bulldogs are 15th in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's latest national rankings.
Bell (So, Jackson/Calloway) won the state and region championships at No. 1 singles and is back to defend his title.
"Travis is one of those naturally talented tennis players, and I don't think we've seen his best just yet," Bourgeois said. "We see it when he has to play the big players. He plays up to the competition. The stronger the opponent, the better he is. I like that."
Vos (Fr, Perth, Australia/Applecross) is a tall player who doesn't rely solely on a big serve.
"Austin has a unique style in that he doesn't have one style," Bourgeois said. "He can play serve-and-volley at 6-foot-4. He's got the slice, so he can bring the player in and pass him. He likes to vary his game. He's not one-dimensional."
He said Vos' ability to play the slice baffles many players who are accustomed to big-hitting top-spin players.
A sign of the Bulldogs' strength this year is being able to move last year's No. 2 singles player to the No. 3 slot. John Murphy (So, Mobile, Ala./McGill-Toolen) will be making that switch, and he's playing better than last year. Bourgeois said he's playing from closer to the baseline and volleys better at the net.
"He and Austin have some good battles," Bourgeois said. "John Teague has improved his volley a lot. He worked with his private coach in Mobile and improved a lot. It will really help us at No. 2 doubles."
Murphy will pair with No. 4 singles player Noah Rowell (So, Wiggins/Stone) on that team.
Gulf Coast's other state champ, Reid Cudd (So, Wiggins/Stone), also returns. He's penciled in back at No. 5 singles, where he won the title.
At No. 6, Bourgeois has a battle on his hands between Evan Chubb (Fr, Biloxi/St. Patrick) and Austin Moore (So, Petal/Petal).
"We've done things differently in the fall and at the start of the spring to keep the injury bug away from us," he said. "We hope to stay strong throughout the season."
For more information on MGCCC's 10 intercollegiate athletic teams, follow @MGCCCAthletics on Twitter and BulldogLIVE on Facebook, and go to mgcccbulldogs.com.