By Boranda Diaz.
Last year, the Lehman Lightning Tennis teams finished 5-12 overall and 2-5 in the CUNY Athletic Conference (CUNYAC) standings. But things may be different this year. New coach Jeffery Menaker may be the ticket to the finals this year.
Menaker has coached high school, college, and professional level teams since graduating from Skidmore College in 2000.
He coached Stuyvesant High School’s tennis team, helping them set a 55-8 season record; Menaker also coached them to five Mayor’s Cup Appearances. He has also coached Edgemont High School, where doubles teams reached the finals two seasons in a row. He coached Bronx High School of Science most recently.
His coaching at Yeshiva College helped the men’s tennis team reach their first ever National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) appearance in the history of the university.
Menaker has worked at several professional tennis committees since 2011, including The New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) State Tournament seeding committees, U.S. Tennis Association, and the Future College Player Tennis Camp.
“The players need to improve on time management, communication with the coaching staff, and on the Doubles strategies, positioning and placement,” said Menaker.
Menaker also mentioned his eagerness to see a wider audience of students attend the games this season. “I would love to see more students involved in the cheering.”
Members from both teams described Menaker as flexible, friendly, understanding, motivating, and great at working with players individually and as a team.
To date, Lehman Lightning Women’s Tennis Team has won two out of six games since the start of the season: 5-4 against St. Joseph’s and 9-0 against York College.
