FSU's Alex Palladino Captures Tourney Classic
Big Rapids, Mich. - Ferris State University men's tennis head
coach Alex Palladino recently proved he can still
play by winning the 19th annual Hall of Fame Classic held July
23-25 in Grand Rapids.
Palladino claimed the men's open singles division title by winning
five consecutive matches in straight-sets at Orchard Hills.
It marked the second time he claimed the event's top men's singles
crown following his 2005 victory.
In the championship match, Palladino was a 7-5, 7-6 winnver over
Mike Flowers, who had also previously won all four of his
pre-championship matches in consecutive sets.
The Hall of Fame Classic was founded by Jerry Hendrick and John
Bell in 1992. The first event consisted of 70 players with
the tournament growing to more than 300 players by 2000. Each
year, action is contested in 15 different divisions with both
singles and doubles play available for both men and women along
with mixed doubles competition.
This past season, Palladino received the Intercollegiate Tennis
Association (ITA) Midwest Regional Coach of the Year honor after
leading the Bulldog men's team to its 13th consecutive NCAA
Division II Tournament appearance in 2009-10. FSU concluded
the season wtih a 12-8 overall ledger and placed third overall at
the 2010 GLIAC Men's Tennis Tournament (April 17-18) in Midland,
Mich. Ferris also placed second overall in the conference
during regular-season competition with a 6-1 league record this
season.
Palladino, who also serves as FSU's women's tennis head coach,
wrapped up his third season directing the Bulldog program. He
was hired prior to the 2007-08 campaign after serving as a tennis
instructor in West Michigan for over 20 years since his own
collegiate playing career ended in 1987.
In his three years directing the Bulldog men's tennis program, FSU
has compiled a 36-27 overall record and posted three consecutive
6-1 conference regular-season marks. The Bulldogs have also
won at least 10 matches in a season each of the last three
years. This past season, Palladino also guided the Ferris
women's team to a 12-9 overall record and the program's first trip
to the NCAA-II Tournament since 2007.
Palladino, who competed at the NCAA Division III level for
Kalamazoo College from 1984-87, led the Hornets to back-to-back
NCAA-III National Championships his final two collegiate playing
years under head coach George Acker. He captured NCAA-III national
titles in doubles play as both a junior and senior. Twice, he
reached the NCAA-III championship match as a singles player at
Kalamazoo.
While at Kalamazoo College, Palladino earned four varsity letters
and also claimed the school's Most Accomplished Athlete Award as a
senior. He competed at both the top singles and doubles flights as
a collegian. In addition, Palladino was a four-time All-Michigan
Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) selection and named
league MVP his final campaign.
After finishing his collegiate career, Palladino served in a
variety of tennis roles. He spent two years as a teaching
professional in Chicago and five years at the East Hills club in
Grand Rapids. In 1986, Palladino became the Director of Tennis at
the Michigan Athletic Club in Grand Rapids where he worked until
2001 when he moved into a similar role with the Champion Health and
Fitness Club in Rockford. He's also worked as the tennis director
at the Kent Country Club in Grand Rapids.
As a professional player, Palladino has won the adult men's
Midwest Indoor Championship numerous times, traveled on the
Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Satellite Circuit and
earned victories over players ranked as high as #145 in the world.
He has also previously been honored as the United States
Professional Tennis Association's (USPTA) Midwest Player of the
Year and recognized as the West Michigan Adult Player of the Year
several times.
Please visit this link for complete results & info from the
event:
http://www.halloffameclassictennis.com