5.8.09 - SPARTANS FALL IN OPENING ROUND OF NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
Manchester College fell 5-0 to 14th ranked in the nation The University of Washington-St. Louis in the opening round of the 2009 NCAA Division III Championships, hosted by DePauw University.

Manchester trailed 3-0 after doubles action, and fell in two matches in singles play and were eliminated from the tournament. Manchester finishes the year 10-7 overall.

5.6.09 - NCAA DIVISION III CHAMPIONSHIP FIELD SET, MANCHESTER TRAVELS TO DEPAUW
Manchester's women's tennis team heads to their third straight NCAA Championship appearance on Friday as they open first round action against the University of Washington-St. Louis on the campus of DePauw University.

Manchester earned the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference's automatic qualifier to the tournament back in October as the Spartans had to defeat Rose-Hulman for the fourth and final spot in the tournament, then went on to defeat regular season champs Hanover College in the semi-finals and Franklin College in the tournament finals.

Manchester had its string of six-straight HCAC titles snapped this year, but marks the third consecutive NCAA Championship appearance, and the second under second year head coach Eric Christiansen.

Visit the tournament site for up-to-date information as well as semi-final pairings as tennis action resumes on Saturday and Sunday.

10.17.08 - MANCHESTER WINS HCAC CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT, ADVANCES TO NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS THIS SPRING FOR THE THIRD STRAIGHT YEAR
Manchester College's women's tennis team posted a 5-2 win over Franklin College Friday afternoon to win the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament and the HCAC's automatic qualifier to the NCAA National Tournament held in May, 2009.

Manchester won Thursday night's play-in match against Rose-Hulman 5-1 to be the fourth and final seed in Friday's four-team tournament. Manchester defeated top-seeded and regular season conference champions Hanover 5-2 to advance to the championship round with Franklin.

In the Hanover match,
Manchester's Milli Ridoutt and Jordin Youst were winners at one doubles, Christa Hunter and Danielle Walker won at two doubles and April Erxleben and Nikki Ferguson won at three doubles. Winners for MC in singles action were Hunter at three singles and Brittany Oliver at five singles.

Manchester took wins at one and three doubles in the Franklin match, while Ridoutt won at one singles, Youst at two singles and Oliver at five singles to take the 5-1 win.



10.12.08 - FIVE SPARTANS WIN INDIVIDUAL FLIGHT TITLES AT HCAC INVITE
Manchester College's women's tennis team had five individual flight winners at the HCAC Flighted Invite over the weekend.

Christa Hunter defeated Kayli Schafer of Franklin 5-7, 7-6 (7-0), 6-4 to capture the three singles championship. Brittany Oliver posted a 6-1, 6-1 win over Franklin's Christy Tucker to win at five singles while Danielle Walker was a 7-6 (7-2), 6-3 winner over Klara Schroederus of Rose-Hulman to win at six singles.

Hunter and Walker teammed up to post an 8-5 win over Hanover to win the two doubles flight and it was April Erxleben and Nikki Ferguson posting an 8-5 win at three doubles, also against Hanover.

Manchester returns to action Thursday as they face Rose-Hulman in a tie-breaker match for the fourth and final spot in Friday's HCAC Automatic Qualifier Tournament hosted at the West Indy Racquet Club.

10.4.08 - MANCHESTER WINS TWO CONFERENCE GAMES TO CLOSE OUT REGULAR SEASON
Manchester's women's tennis team closed out the regular season on Saturday with a pair of conference wins against Bluffton and Mount St. Joseph.

Manchester defeated Mount St. Joseph 8-1 with wins coming from Milli Ridoutt/Jordin Youst at one doubles, Christa Hunter/Danielle Walker at two doubles and April Erxleben/Nikki Ferguson at three doubles.

Ridoutt, Youst and Hunter picked up wins at one through three singles wile Brittany Oliver and Walker took wins at five and six singles.

Manchester defeated Bluffton 9-0 in the second match of the day with everyone winning their match, including Erxleben at four singles.

Manchester moves to 5-5 on the year, 5-3 in the HCAC. They return to action this Saturday and Sunday for the HCAC Individual Flight Tournament hosted by the West Indy Racquet Club.

10.3.08 - SPARTANS FALL TO BETHEL 8-1
Manchester's tennis team fell to Bethel 8-1 in action Friday. The lone winner for MC was Brittany Oliver at five singles. Manchester falls to 3-5 on the year and return to action Saturday at home as they host Bluffton and Mount St. Joseph in conference action.

10.1.08 - MANCHESTER FALLS TO HANOVER 5-4
The Spartan women's tennis team fell to Hanover 5-4 in make-up action on Wednesday.
Winners for Manchester were Christa Hunter, April Erxleben and Danielle Walker in singles action while Milli Ridoutt and Jordin Youst picked up a win in doubles play.

Manchester moves to 3-4 overall, 3-3 in the HCAC. They return to action Friday at Bethel and play at home Saturday in their last regular season conference match of the year against Bluffton and Mount St. Joseph.

9.27.08 - SPARTANS TAKE PART IN ITA CENTRAL REGION INVITE
Jordin Youst and Christa Hunter finished 2-2 in singles action at the ITA Tennis Regional hosted by Oberlin. In other singles action Milli Ridoutt finished 0-2 in singles, but teammed with Youst to finish 1-1 in doubles action. Danielle Walker and Hunter also finished 1-1 in doubles action for MC.

The Spartans return to conference action against Hanover College in a make-up contest on the Center Grove High School campus on Wednesday.

9.20.08 - WOMEN'S TENNIS BLANKS DEFIANCE IN CONFERENCE ACTION
Manchester's women's tennis team returned to action Saturday, defeating host Defiance College 9-0 in league action.

Winners for MC in doubles action were Milli Ridoutt and Jordin Youst at one doubles, Christa Hunter and Danielle Walker at two doubles and April Erxheber and Nikki Ferguson at three doubles.

Winners for Manchester at 1-6 singles were Ridoutt, Youst, Hunter, Erxheber, Brittany Oliver and Walker.

Manchester improves to 3-3 on the year, 3-2 in the HCAC. They return to action Tuesday at home for the first time this season against Earlham.

9.13.08 - MANCHESTER'S WIN STREAK HALTS AT 39 WITH LOSSES TO TRANSYLVANIA AND FRANKLIN
Manchester's women's tennis team fell to Transylvania 6-3 and Franklin 7-2 for their first conference losses in nearly six seasons.

Milli Ridoutt was a winner at one singles, as was April Erxleben at three singles and Brittany Oliver at four singles for the three flight wins for MC. Ridoutt and Oliver took wins at one and four singles respectively against Franklin.

The Spartans fall to 2-3 on the year, and return to action Saturday at Hanover with Defiance in a tri-way meet.

9.6.08 - SPARTANS NOTCH 39TH STRAIGHT CONFERENCE MATCH WITH WINS OVER ANDERSON AND ROSE-HULMAN
The Manchester College women's tennis team improved to 2-1 on the year, 2-0 in the HCAC with a pair of wins over Anderson by the score of 8-1 and Rose-Hulman in a 6-3 decision.

The wins mark Manchester's 39th straight conference victory dating back to the 2002 season.  MC has posted five straight perfect season in league play. 

Manchester returns to action this coming Saturday at Transylvania in a tri-way meet with Franklin. 
 

8.29.08 - MANCHESTER FALLS TO HUNTINGTON IN SEASON OPENER
Manchester's women's tennis team fell to Huntington 7-2 in the Spartans' season opener on Friday.  Winners for Manchester included Milli Ridoutt at one singles and Brittany Oliver at five singles. 

Manchester falls to 0-1 on the year and returns to action next Saturday at Anderson.

5.2.08 - SPARTANS FALL TO KENYON 5-0 IN OPENING ROUND OF NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
Manchester's women's tennis team opened the 2008 NCAA Championships with a 5-0 loss to Kenyon on Friday to end their season 10-4 overall. 

Manchester staked claim to their sixth straight HCAC Conference championship last fall and advanced to their second straight NCAA Tournament after earning the conference's automatic qualifier. 

4.28.08 - MANCHESTER TRAVELS TO DEPAUW, OPENS WITH KENYON FOR NCAA DIVISION III CHAMPIONSHIPS
Manchester College's women's tennis team will open the first round of NCAA Division III Championships on Friday, May 2 as they face Kenyon (15-5) College on the campus of DePauw University. 

Manchester earned their second straight NCAA Championship berth last fall after their second Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference championship and the earning the league's automatic qualifier to the NCAA tournament. 

Manchester has won six straight HCAC titles, dating back to the 2002 season.  This year's squad recorded its fifth straight undefeated season in conference play at 8-0, and ended the year with a 10-3 overall record. 

Along with the Manchester/Kenyon match, other first round action will include Albion vs. Baldwin-Wallace.  Manchester or Kenyon will face DePauw in second action, while Denison will face the winner of the Albion/Baldwin-Wallace winner.  Third round action will take place on Sunday.

Manchester will play at 10 a.m. on Friday against Kenyon. DePauw will face the winner of the Kenyon/Manchester match on Saturday starting at 10 a.m.

12.06.07 CHRISTIANSEN TABBED AS NEW MEN'S AND WOMEN'S TENNIS COACH
Manchester College Athletic Director Rick Espeset has named North Manchester native Eric Christiansen as the new head coach for the men's and women's tennis program.

Christiansen has served as the boy's and girl's tennis coach at Manchester High School for the past 11 seasons, guiding the men to eight conference championships and a sectional title, and helping the women to three conference championships and one sectional title. He has spent the past five seasons as a boy's basketball varsity assistant coach at Manchester High School under MC grad Gary Goshert '73.

"I'm very excited and look forward to the new challenges and opportunities with this position," says Christiansen. "The women's tennis team has built a strong tradition with six straight conference titles and the men have raised their level of play and I look for good things to happen this season."

Christiansen currently serves as the sports editor for the North Manchester News-Journal.

10.20.07-MANCHESTER EARNS CONFERENCE AUTOMATIC QUALIFIER FOR NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS THIS SPRING
The women's tennis team picked up a 5-4 win over Franklin to earn the HCAC's automatic qualifier to the NCAA Division III Championships that start on May 2, 2008.

Manchester picked up a 5-1 win over Hanover in the opening round of the tournament, with wins coming from Mili Ridoutt and Sarah Conwell at one doubles, Christa Hunter and Jordin Youst at two doubles and Danielle Walker and Jessica Mertz at three doubles. Manchester had wins from Youst and Walker at four and six singles to take the 5-1 win over Hanover.

Manchester needed all nine flights in the 5-4 win over Franklin in the championships. MC swept all three doubles matches, and got wins from Ridoutt at one singles and Youst at four singles.

Manchester will compete at the NCAA Division III tennis championships this coming May, with first and second sites to be announced.

10.20.07-MANCHESTER EARNS CONFERENCE AUTOMATIC QUALIFIER FOR NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS THIS SPRING
The women's tennis team picked up a 5-4 win over Franklin to earn the HCAC's automatic qualifier to the NCAA Division III Championships that start on May 2, 2008.

Manchester picked up a 5-1 win over Hanover in the opening round of the tournament, with wins coming from Mili Ridoutt and Sarah Conwell at one doubles, Christa Hunter and Jordin Youst at two doubles and Danielle Walker and Jessica Mertz at three doubles. Manchester had wins from Youst and Walker at four and six singles to take the 5-1 win over Hanover.

Manchester needed all nine flights in the 5-4 win over Franklin in the championships. MC swept all three doubles matches, and got wins from Ridoutt at one singles and Youst at four singles.

Manchester will compete at the NCAA Division III tennis championships this coming May, with first and second sites to be announced.

10.13.07-MANCHESTER COMES AWAY WITH FIVE CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS OUT OF NINE AT THE HCAC INDIVIDUAL FLIGHT TOURNAMENT
Manchester College's women's tennis team captured five of the nine flights, with the remaining four flights taking second place at the first ever HCAC Individual Flights Tournament hosted by the West Indy Racquet Club in Indianapolis.

Winners and conference champions for Manchester were Sarah Conwell at two singles, Jordin Youst at four singles, Jessica Mertz at five singles, Danielle Walker at six singles and the duo of Christa Hunter and Youst at two doubles. 

Mili Ridoutt placed second at one singles while she and Conwell took second at one doubles, and the team of Walker/Mertz took second at three doubles. 

Manchester wraps up the season on Saturday as they return to the West Indy Racquet Club as the top four teams compete for the HCAC's automatic qualifier for the NCAA Championships.  Manchester begins the tournament at 9 a.m. as they face Hanover College.

10.8.07-MANCHESTER FALLS TO BETHEL 6-3
Manchester wrapped up the regular season on Monday with a 6-3 loss to Bethel.  Winners for the Spartans were Christa Hunter and Jordin Youst at two doubles, Mili Ridoutt at one singles and Youst at four singles. 

Manchester drops to 8-3 on the year, and returns to action this Friday and Saturday at the Indianapolis Racquet Club for the individual HCAC Conference Championships. 

10.2.07-MC WOMEN'S TENNIS TEAM CAPTURES SIXTH STRAIGHT CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP
The Manchester College women's tennis team captured the school's sixth straight conference championship following a 7-2 win over Anderson.  Manchester staked at least a share of the conference title following Saturday's wins over MSJ and Bluffton, but won the title outright following the win over Anderson. 

Manchester took wins at one doubles with Mili Ridoutt and Sarah Conwell.  Both won at one and two singles, along with Christa Hunter at three doubles, Jordin Youst at four singles, Jessica Mertz at five singles and Danielle Walker at six singles. 

Manchester improves to 8-2 on the year, 8-0 in the HCAC.  The win marks five straight seasons without a loss to a conference opponent for Manchester. 

The Spartans wind down the regular season on Monday as they host Bethel for a 2:30 p.m. match.

9.29.07-SPARTANS MAKE IT 36 STRAIGHT CONFERENCE WINS FOLLOWING WINS OVER MOUNT ST. JOSEPH AND BLUFFTON SATURDAY
Manchester's women's tennis team's quest for a sixth straight conference championship came more of a reality on Saturday as Manchester picked up a 9-0 win over Mount St. Joseph and a 6-0 win over Bluffton, marking the program's 36th straight conference victory, which dates back to the 2002 season.  Manchester, winners of five straight HCAC conference championships improve to 7-2 on the year, 7-0 in the HCAC following the wins. 

They go for win number 37 on Tuesday as they host Anderson for a 4 p.m. make-up contest. 

9.24.07-HUNTER AND RIDOUTT ADVANCE TO CONSOLATION SEMI-FINALS AT THE ITA REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Junior Christa Hunter and Mili Ridoutt have advanced to the semi-finals of the consolation bracket of the 2007 ITA Regional Championships hosted by DePauw University.  The doubles team of Christa Hunter and Jordin Youst remain alive in the championship second round of action.

9.22.07-TENNIS UPDATE FROM ITA REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
No Spartans have been eliminated from tournament action as DePauw University is playing host to the 2007 ITA Regional tennis championships this weekend.  Sarah Conwell, Christa Hunter and Milli Ridoutt each suffered first round losses, but have remained alive in the drawback rounds.  Jordin Youst opened up with a first round victory  but fell in second round action. 

In doubles play, Conwell and Ridoutt fell in the opening round while Hunter and Youst picked up an early round win and advance to second round play later today. 

The ITA championships continue later this evening.  Complete results can be found at the DePauw website.

9.17.07-MC FALLS TO OHIO NORTHERN 6-3
Manchester's women's tennis team dropped a 6-3 decision to Ohio Northern in non-conference action Monday night.  Winners for Manchester were Christa Hunter and Jordin Youst at two doubles, Danielle Walker and Jessica Mertz at three doubles and Mertz at five singles. 

Manchester will compete at the ITA Tennis Championships this Thursday thru Sunday.

9.15.07-MANCHESTER MAKES IT 33 STRAIGHT IN 8-1 WIN OVER FRANKLIN AND 9-0 WIN OVER TRANSYLVANIA
Manchester's women's tennis team improved to 5-1 on the year, 5-0 in the conference following a pair of wins at Franklin on Saturday. 

Manchester opened with a 9-0 win over Transylvania, and closed out action with an 8-1 win over Franklin.  The two wins moves MC's conference win streak to 33 straight, dating back to the 2002 season. 

The women's tennis team returns to action on Monday as they travel to Ohio Northern.

9.8.07-SPARTANS DEFEAT ROSE-HULMAN, EXTEND WIN STREAK TO 31 CONFERENCE MATCH WINS
Manchester's women's tennis team improved it's conference win streak to 31 games on Saturday following MC's 7-2 win over Rose-Hulman.  The win streak dates all the way back to the 2002 season. 

Winners for Manchester were Christa Hunter and Jordin Youst at two doubles along with Jessica Mertz and Danielle Walker at three doubles.

In singles action, winners for MC were Sarah Conwell, Hunter, Youst, Mertz and Walker at 2-6 singles. 

Manchester improves to 3-1 on the year, 3-0 in the HCAC.  The match scheduled against Anderson was suspended due to rain and will be made up with no date scheduled.

9.1.07-SPARTANS IMPROVE TO 2-1 FOLLOWING TWO CONFERENCE WINS
The Manchester College women's tennis team posted two conference wins Saturday to improve to 2-1 on the year following MC's 6-3 loss to Huntington on Friday night. 

Winners for Manchester in the 9-0 Defiance win were Mili Ridoutt and Sarah Conwell at one doubles, Christa Hunter and Jordin Youst at two doubles and Jessica Mertz and Emily Vail at three doubles.  Winners at one through six singles were Ridoutt, Conwell, Hunter, Youst, Mertz and Nikki Ferguson.

Against Hanover , Manchester took seven of nine flights to pick up the win.  Winners were Hunter and Youst at two doubles and Danielle Walker and Mertz at three doubles.  MC took the first five flights in singles play with wins coming from Ridoutt, Conwell, Hunter, Youst and Mertz. 

Manchester returns home for action next Saturday as they host Rose_Hulman and Anderson starting at 9 a.m.

08.22.07 THOUVENOT NAMED INTERIM HEAD COACH
Olivier Thouvenot has been appointed the new tennis interim head coach for the men's and women's tennis teams at Manchester College.  TheNeuschateau, France native graduated from his hometown college of Nancy Henry Poincare with a degree in sports management.  He then came to the United States where he picked up another degree in business at Martin Methodist College (TN), where he was a two-year member of the men's tennis team. He spent last year as the Spartans' assistant tennis coach.

With the Redhawks he was ranked as high as 20th in the NAIA polls, and received Second Team All-American honors after finishing the season ranked 21st.  He was 10-5 overall in singles play, and was ranked 22nd in doubles action with a 12-4 record.  He helped MMC to their first NAIA Region XI championship match at number one singles and doubles. 

Catch up on the week's action!