New BEA boys tennis coach Colby Swanson ready to take over the helm for the Buccaneers.

The Buccaneer boys tennis team has a lot of returning experienced players. They also have a new coach, high school teacher Colby Swanson.

Swanson may be new to the Bucs team, but he is not a new tennis coach. Last season he was the Waseca junior high coach and assistant varsity coach.

Swanson said he has high expectations of this year’s BEA team. “All of our singles line-up returns except for Grant Holmseth and Nick Milbrandt, who graduated last year,” Swanson said.

This year there are 13 players out in grades nine through 12. Three seniors lead the squad; Logan Becker (first doubles), Dalton Moore (second doubles) and Drake Nimz, who played fourth singles last year.

A couple of talented juniors were first and second singles last year; Matt Purvis and Garrett Passer. Third and fourth singles also return from last year and are Riley Holmseth and Hans Kittleson.

The Wilhelmi twins, Aaron and Wade, were the third doubles last year and return this season.

Top junior varsity player from last year, freshman Colan Surratt, will be moving up this year to varsity, Swanson said.

“We have a lot of guys back with varsity experience so we should be ready for the season this year,” Coach Swanson said. “We have a very solid lineup.”

Swanson said there is good leadership at the top, and that the team members all work hard at practice.

He said that Waseca, St. Peter and St. James should be the top teams in the conference. “We should be able to run at all of them,” Coach Swanson said. “We should be one of the better teams in the conference if we reach our full potential.”

Swanson has a new assistant coach this year as well, with Randy Kuechenmeister helping out.

“We are looking for good things to happen,” Swanson said.