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Netters Start Season With Top-Notch Coaching Staff
Former Pacific Lutheran men's tennis All-American Clayton Harris has joined an already outstanding coaching staff as the PLU netters near the start of their 2012 season. He joins former PLU head coaches Mike Benson and Craig Hamilton - who both coached Harris - as assistant coaches working with first-year head coach Rocky Poulin.
"I am thrilled to have a coach, and person, the caliber of Clayton join our PLU staff," Poulin said. "He understands what it means to be a Lute and has been a part of our successful tennis history. Clayton is more than qualified to coach, recruit, and mentor the young men of PLU."
Harris is in his second stint as a PLU men's tennis coach after serving alongside Craig Hamilton and Doug Gardner as tri-head coaches during the 2002-03 seasons. The Lutes finished second in the Northwest Conference standings both seasons. As a player from 1997-2000, Harris finished ninth on the Lutes career victories list with a 66-31 singles record.
"I am really excited about the coaching staff we have put together. Craig Hamilton and Clayton Harris bring not only tremendous playing experience, but both have previously been head coaches at PLU," Poulin said. "Bringing legendary coach Mike Benson as our honorary coach was such a treat. Mike has helped so many Lutes on and off the court that I am excited to have him with us. He coached all of us when we were playing for the PLU tennis team."
Benson earned induction into the PLU Athletic Hall of Fame in October 1999, one-half year after completing a 30-year head coaching career that saw him lead 24 Pacific Lutheran men's tennis teams to Northwest Conference titles. Benson's all-time PLU men's tennis coaching record was an amazing 400-196. During that same 30-year period his teams compiled an incredible 166-18 Northwest Conference dual match record, including a pair of 60-matching winning streaks. His teams made the trek to Kansas City for NAIA nationals on 20 occasions and finished as high as eighth place. One of his players, Dave Trageser, reached the national tournament championship match in both singles (1978) and doubles (with Mike Hoeger in 1979). During Benson's six years as head coach of the PLU women's team the Lutes won six conference titles and had a 90-35 overall record.
Poulin assumes the reins from Hamilton, who retired as head coach in 2011 after leading PLU to four conference championships in 13 seasons. During his tenure, the Lutes compiled a 183-100 dual match record.
Hamilton graduated from Pacific Lutheran in 1982 and was a member of the Lute tennis team from 1979-82. He is ranked number four on the PLU career singles victories list with 84, highlighted by a 25-win season as a freshman in 1979. As a senior, Hamilton was recipient of the NAIA's prestigious Arthur Ashe Award, given for his athletic and academic achievements, community involvement and sportsmanship. He was the Northwest Conference singles champion in 1980, won the conference doubles championship in 1980, 1981 and 1982, and was the NAIA District 1 doubles champion in 1980 and 1981. He was an Academic All-American in 1981 and 1982.
Poulin himself played for Benson on four consecutive conference championship teams (1992-95) while at Pacific Lutheran and three times earned all-conference honors. He also made an appearance at the 1994 national tournament. Poulin played in three conference flighted singles finals while a Lute, winning at No. 5 singles in 1992 and 1994. He was a conference doubles champion in 1993 and 1994.
"I truly believe that here at PLU we have a coaching staff that is unparalleled in Division III men's tennis," Poulin added. "We all can bring something different and something unique to the staff. It was important for me to surround myself with the best Lutes that I could, and I am grateful that these men would want to come back and mentor today's players."
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