The Parkland High School boys tennis program will be under new leadership beginning this spring season. Previous head coach Mike Hingston, who led the team the last 12 years, stepped down, but will still be around and help out newly appointed head coach Lee Rizzotto.

Rizzotto has worked in Parkland for the last 16 years as a special-education teacher and, most recently, a Parkland High School counselor. A former tennis player at Dieruff High School, Rizzotto, has also coached multiple sports and was voted into the Football Hall of Fame at Millersville University.

With the preseason just beginning with practices, Rizzotto is just getting acclimated to the team, but he still has a knowledge of his roster entering the 2024 season.

“Parkland is returning seniors Ojas Karandikar, Thomas Gilchrist, Matt Ringold, Yechan Cho and Eric Jin, along with juniors Kevin Yao, Ryan Wu, Gabe Morse and Jack Chu,” said Rizzotto. “We are very excited about key newcomers who are all freshmen, Manav Patel, Noah Elijovich and Jacky Zhang. Kevin Yao is projected to play in the top singles spot, but will be challenged by Gilchrist, Wu and potentially one or two other players.

“Our top doubles combinations will be formed by the results of challenge matches between the players mentioned above.”

Last season, the Trojans finished 14-4 overall and 13-2 in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference, third behind first-place Liberty (20-1, 15-0) and second-place Freedom (17-2, 14-1). Rizzotto expects the Hurricanes to once again be a formidable foe, but that his group will be up for the challenge.

“Our expectations for this fantastic group are very high,” Rizzotto said. “We expect to be extremely competitive in the conference and District 11. We have a great combination of upperclassmen leadership and young upcoming talent. This group has been very supportive to each other and they will push each day to improve. It will be very exciting to watch how our varsity lineup unfolds as we enter the 2024 season.

“The EPC and district are always loaded with talented teams and this year will be no different. From what I have gathered so far, Liberty is the team to chase. Additionally, Emmaus, Moravian Academy, CCHS, Southern Lehigh and several other teams are all talented. We will not take any team for granted and will prepare for each team as if they are the best.”

Parkland last won a District 11 title in 2021. The quest for another begins on the road at East Stroudsburg South on Monday. The home opener is set for next Wednesday afternoon against Whitehall.