Mehdi Belbacha is the Panthers' lone senior this season. A top player the past two years, Mehdi is currently ranked #5 nationally in singles (March 18, 2002) in the NCAA-II. Last season Mehdi played at the #1 position several times and was part of the Panthers' #1 doubles team throughout the year. Mehdi earned ITA All-America honors in doubles last year while teaming up with the graduated Panther great, Jalal Chafai. Mehdi is part of the "Moroccan Pipeline" which has served the Drury program so well the past few years. He joins fellow Morocco natives Hicham Fathi and Younes Limam on this year's team to form one of the most talented veteran forces in collegiate tennis. Mehdi can play with anyone in the country as evidenced last year when he defeated the #1 ranked player in NAIA. Chances are that Mehdi will be playing #1 singles this year so he will be facing that sort of talent on a regular basis. If he can be successful on a regular basis at the top position, the 2002 Panthers will have a great chance at another successful season and a shot at the NCAA-II national title. Prior to coming to Drury Mehdi played at Middle Tennessee State University and before that he was the Moroccan national champion in the 10-18 age group, with the only exception coming at the 16-under age group when he placed second. He won the Arab championship and achieved a #39 in the world ranking in both singles and doubles (ages 18 and under). Mehdi is a graduate of the All-Star Academy in Florida. An outstanding student, Mehdi is a business administration major at Drury.