When I first got to Emory, GPC, was a junior college powerhouse. GPC's top players would head off to big-time D-1 schools. Coach Billy Pate was the sole reason they were so successful. Billy had a knack for attracting top international players who were not ready academically to enter 4 year institutions. Billy has since moved on, and he is currently the head coach for the men's tennis team at Alabama.
When Billy left, the program fell apart. I am not sure if they lost scholarships, but the talent stopped coming. Last year, GPC, got a new coach, Mohamed Omar. He has definitely picked up where Billy left off. I saw last year when we played them that he was turning the program around. They had a few good players, but more importantly, they were acting like a team that wanted to win. I had an inkling at that time that he was going to rebuild the program.
They have started strong this season with all-international lineup. Omar's teams compete hard so we are definitely in for a fight. Once again, doubles will be key. We need a fast start in doubles, hopefully, we can come out with the energy and fire we had against AUM. It should be a fun match, and it's nice to see GPC is returning to their dominant past.
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