Fall 2004: Began the season ranked 13th in the country ... ended the season ranked No. 2 in the region ... defeated 10th-ranked Adrians Zguns of Arkansas 6-4, 6-3 in the regional qualifier ... was invited to the ITA Nationals but retired in the first round of that tournament due to illness ... began his senior year fresh off a Victorian Grass Court Championship win in Australia ... has a career record of 39-9 at No. 1 singles entering the 2005 season.

Spring 2004: Mark began the season on a 15 match winning streak ... went 8-4 against nationally ranked opponents ... compiled a 19-4 overall record ... defeated 12th-ranked Adrians Zguns of Arkansas 6-1, 6-2 ... was key to the Cowboys upset of 6th-ranked Rice defeating nationally ranked Robert Searle in a tough three set match ... sprained his ankle at the start of the third set against Oklahoma, but still won the set 6-1 ... led third-ranked Benedikt Dorsch 5-3 in the second set, after he won the first set 6-2, when the match was suspended because Baylor had won the dual in the semifinals of the Big 12 Tournament ... named second-team Academic All-Big 12 ... lost to TCU’s Alex Menichini 6-4, 6-4 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Fall 2003: Went 5-1 in Costa Mesa, Calif. at the 2003 Diadora Pro Championship and qualified for the main draw by posting a 4-0 record ... he went 1-1 at the Polo Tennis National Collegiate Preview in Tulsa, Okla. defeating Fresno State’s Hector Almada 6-1, 7-5 before retiring in the first set against 18th-ranked William Barker of Rice.

2003 season: Van Elden had a solid season as the Pokes top singles player ... he was named to the All-Big 12 Singles and Doubles Team ... he posted a 14-5 record against the top player on the opposing team ... posted a 2-6 record against ranked competition including a 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory over No. 29 Richard Barker from Rice ... went toe-to-toe with Baylor’s Benedikt Dorsch, the second-ranked player in the country, before losing the third set in a tie breaker ... was eliminated in the second round of NCAA singles tournament by 39th-ranked Nicolas Boeker of Georgia ... finished the season as the 56th-ranked player in the country.

Before OSU: Played at Auburn where he posted a combined fall and spring singles record of 10-10 ... Van Elden played most of the 2002 spring season at the No. 5 singles position ... Played in the junior Davis Cup ... Australian National Clay Court Champion.

Personal: Born July 12, 1983 ... son of Cathy and John Van Elden ... has one sister, Kristen ... university studies major ... hobbies include golf and surfing ... favorite movie is Full Metal Jacket ... favorite musical groups are Silverchair and Jet... lists favorite athlete as Terrell Owens ... also considered Florida, Auburn and Tennessee.

Coach Wadley on Mark Van Elden: “Mark has proven in the past that he can play with anyone in the country. He is a tremendous No. 1 player, and has been ranked as high as 13th in the country.”