2008 Woodie Awards
Opponents getting their Phil
Matthew De George '10
Issue date: 2/7/07 Section: Sports
Every team must have a leader to set the pace for the rest of the squad, someone to go to in the clutch.
The Saint Joseph's Men's Tennis team is fortunate in this respect, as they have two leaders who fit this mold: sophomore Phil Bayliss and junior Phil Garabedian.
Each of these players came to Hawk Hill with different strengths. In Bayliss, the Hawks have the consummate leader.
"This is the kind of team player that Phil is," said assistant coach Gene Miller. "When I approached him about this article, he originally said no. He wanted the story to be about the team, not just himself."
Bayliss' leadership on the court was evident from his first days as a Hawk. He arrived as a highly-touted prospect, boasting an impressive amateur record that earned him the captaincy on the U.S. Junior Davis Cup team.
In his freshman season, he posted a 21-16 record in singles and 20-12 record in doubles.
His efforts earned him a nomination for Atlantic-10 Rookie of the Year.
According to Miller, "He has a great deal of character. He is the guy you want on the court when the pressure is on."
With Garabedian, the squad has a seasoned veteran to complement an otherwise young corps, whose experience goes beyond his playing days at St. Joes.
Garabedian's tennis background includes a stellar high school career, in which he went undefeated in singles play for over the span of four seasons.
Hawk tennis flows through Garabedian's veins, as his father and older brother, A.J., were both standouts at Saint Joseph's.
Garabedian's journey to St. Joes, however, involved a stop off at Philadelphia University first.
As a freshman there, the Horsham native racked up a 16-5 record in singles play, and went 13-7 in doubles.
Following a number of back injuries and a transfer, he excelled in his first year at St. Joes, going 13-14 in singles, and 19-10 in doubles.
"My injury was horrible," said Garabedian. "I was out for basically a year and a half. It was difficult to sit and watch my teammates, but after a lot of hard work, I've gotten back to being healthy."
The Saint Joseph's Men's Tennis team is fortunate in this respect, as they have two leaders who fit this mold: sophomore Phil Bayliss and junior Phil Garabedian.
Each of these players came to Hawk Hill with different strengths. In Bayliss, the Hawks have the consummate leader.
"This is the kind of team player that Phil is," said assistant coach Gene Miller. "When I approached him about this article, he originally said no. He wanted the story to be about the team, not just himself."
Bayliss' leadership on the court was evident from his first days as a Hawk. He arrived as a highly-touted prospect, boasting an impressive amateur record that earned him the captaincy on the U.S. Junior Davis Cup team.
In his freshman season, he posted a 21-16 record in singles and 20-12 record in doubles.
His efforts earned him a nomination for Atlantic-10 Rookie of the Year.
According to Miller, "He has a great deal of character. He is the guy you want on the court when the pressure is on."
With Garabedian, the squad has a seasoned veteran to complement an otherwise young corps, whose experience goes beyond his playing days at St. Joes.
Garabedian's tennis background includes a stellar high school career, in which he went undefeated in singles play for over the span of four seasons.
Hawk tennis flows through Garabedian's veins, as his father and older brother, A.J., were both standouts at Saint Joseph's.
Garabedian's journey to St. Joes, however, involved a stop off at Philadelphia University first.
As a freshman there, the Horsham native racked up a 16-5 record in singles play, and went 13-7 in doubles.
Following a number of back injuries and a transfer, he excelled in his first year at St. Joes, going 13-14 in singles, and 19-10 in doubles.
"My injury was horrible," said Garabedian. "I was out for basically a year and a half. It was difficult to sit and watch my teammates, but after a lot of hard work, I've gotten back to being healthy."
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