Compelte Release
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Metro State had three former student-athletes represented on the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference's all-time men's and women's tennis teams released on Wednesday. Current senior
Sascha Ruckelshausen was on the men's team, while current head coach and former player Rebecca Meares and her sister Jessica Meares were both named to the women's team.
The top six men's and women's tennis players as well as the best head coaches in RMAC tennis history have been selected to help celebrate the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference's 100th anniversary in 2009. The RMAC is the fourth oldest conference in the country, and the most historic in the western U.S. The RMAC All-Time tennis teams were selected by representatives from schools that currently participate in the sport of tennis. Official records for RMAC men's tennis date back to 1973, while women's tennis started in 1978. It is known that the RMAC sponsored the sport of men's tennis as early as 1920.
Ruckelshausen, a native of Milan, Italy, was a senior this past spring and will compete in his final semester this fall. He has led Metro State to three RMAC Tournament titles, two regular season titles and three NCAA Tournament appearances after transferring from the College of Santa Fe (N.M.) following his freshman year. He was the 2009 RMAC Player of the Year and has been named either first or second team all-conference and No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles all three years. Also an excellent student, he has twice been named RMAC Academic Player of the Year and earned second team Academic All-District honors this spring. He has a career singles record of 51-15 and a doubles record of 51-19. This fall, he will be going for his second straight ITA Central Region singles championship.
The Meares sisters were a part of the greatest stretch of women's tennis in Metro State history, playing from 2001 to 2004. The Australian pair led the Roadrunners to three consecutive RMAC Tournament and regular season championships and three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, including Elite Eight appearances in 2002 and 2003. Rebecca was named RMAC Player of the Year in 2004 and earned all-conference honors all four years. She finished her career as the winningest player in school history with a singles record of 60-14, playing primarily No. 1 singles. She went 35-5 in her final two years. Jessica also earned all-conference honors all four years and had a career singles record of 58-13. The sisters also played as doubles partners, combining for a career record of 75-10.
RMAC Men's All-Time Tennis Team
William Jacome, Nebraska-Kearney
Casey Brading, Colorado State-Pueblo
Sascha Ruckelshausen, Metro State
Russ Shurts, Colorado Mines
Thomas Calhoun, Colorado State-Pueblo
Dudley Reichman, Mesa State
Coach: Wayne Nelson, Mesa State
RMAC Women's All-Time Tennis Team
Daniela Ivana, Colorado State-Pueblo
Rebecca Meares, Metro State
Teri Mayeda, Mesa State
Jessica Meares, Metro State
Katie Fitzgerald, Colorado Christian
Dolinda Von Drumpt, Mesa State
Coach: Bob Scott, Colorado State-Pueblo