Lansing tennis gets IAC title defense underway

For the past two years, the Lansing tennis team has been indomitable in the IAC. Not only have the Bobcats gone back-to-back seasons going undefeated in the regular season, they’ve added a cherry on top of both campaigns with IAC championships. The Bobcats are targeting more of the same in 2025 with a new head coach.

R. J. Malabanan takes over the program from Jamie Saroka, who is staying on as a volunteer assistant coach. Malabanan is a new face to Lansing, coming to town in September to teach Spanish. It just so happens that most of the players on the Bobcats are in his classes, so his decision to take the reins was a no-brainer.

“We have a great group of boys and girls,” Malabanan said. “They’re mature. They have the talent. They’re crazy about tennis. It’s been an easy transition for me to step in and do what I do. I’m very student-centered in my approach as a teacher, listening to them and kind of giving them just enough to work on their skill set, and try to improve their game in tennis.”

Tennis is so often seen as an individual sport, but one of the Bobcats’ biggest strengths over the past couple of years is their chemistry. Malabanan gets to set that firsthand and how inseparable they are both on and off the court.

“They just cannot get away from each other,” Malabanan said. “They are always on top of each other. They’ll have lunch together. They’ll come to my room together. They’ll be in class together and on the bus. It’s obvious that they have camaraderie. For me as a coach, I’m thinking if it’s not a problem, it’s not broken, I’m not going to fix it. I’m just going to enhance it and see how it works.”

The starting lineup looks similar to last season, but the most significant change is in the first singles spot. With IAC champion Franciszek Dos heading back to Poland after his exchange year in Lansing, Toby Rigdon takes the mantle. The senior finished in fourth place in the second singles bracket at IACs last season and is more than prepared to lead the line this time around.

“Toby definitely has the wingspan,” Malabanan said. “The serves are there. There are still things I want to work on with his serve, but it works. His best strength is that he listens. He communicates, and that’s something I’m really appreciative of, as are other team players. He sets the tone for the other players.”

Carter Watts now occupies the second singles spot. The senior moved up from third singles last year where he was the IAC runner-up.

“Carter brings the joviality and the youthfulness,” Malabanan said. “He just has that personality that helps in his game. He just has a positive outlook. He’s a good player. He’s solid. There are things I still want to work on with him. Consistency is one of the concerns [like] not double faulting as much.”

Dean Licitra returns to the Bobcats in the third singles spot after spending last year as an exchange student in Poland. This will be the first time he plays singles for the team after playing doubles in 2022 and 2023.

“Dean has proven himself to be very hungry,” Malabanan said. “He’s eager. He definitely brings more of the competitive edge, which is contagious, and he helps others. I have all these personalities that just kind of balance each other out. He has a hungry edge. He’s very athletic. His ground strokes have been impressive, so he’s a solid player in that regard. But personality-wise, he’s more competitive. He wants it.”

What’s remained the exact same are the doubles pairings that both won IAC titles last time out. Seniors Aidan Maloney and Jackson Clary join forces once more in the first spot, while juniors Tolunay Ayar and Fisher Boerman have the second spot. The latter duo has really caught the eye of Malabanan for their receptiveness to his suggestions.

“I was really impressed by how coachable [they are],” Malabanan said. “They listen to the advice. They change their game, volley a little bit more, slice it a little bit better, and that’s what I appreciate about them. Next year they’ll be my singles players. They listen. They understand. That coachability aspect is what’s really impressing me about these two.”

With such a senior-heavy team, Lansing wants to make this season a really special one. Another undefeated season and IAC championship will certainly be achievable, but they desire to go one step further: win a Section IV title. The Bobcats fell shy of that triumph last year after getting swept by Chenango Forks in the Division 2 semifinal.

Lansing returns from spring break on April 21 at Newark Valley, which will also be the site of the IAC Championships on May 12.