Ashland University's men's tennis team will open its spring season at home against Hillsdale on Saturday (Feb. 2) at 2 p.m. at the Lakewood Racquet Club in nearby Lexington, Ohio.
"The guys are pumped, and they're ready to go," said Ashland assistant coach Christian Hamilton. "We've been practicing and getting everyone ready. I really think the guys are looking sharp.
"We're proud of where we are at right now, and are ready to take on Hillsdale in our first match."
The Eagles had a successful fall slate of competition, as the program played for the first time since 1995, and the future of the program is an exciting one for those close to it.
"Our players impress us every day," said Hamilton. "There is no real ceiling on their abilities, and they are continuing to grow."
The fall season wrapped up with two championships at the Hidden Duals, hosted by Ashland. Freshman Stuart Brdicka was a part of both of those championships. He won one in A Draw singles, and one in A Draw doubles with partner and fellow freshman Colten Clark.
The strong showing was just what the returning program was hoping for as it headed into a winter of training and preparing for a competitive championship season in the spring.
"We were really excited with the results there," said Hamilton. "Coming off of the winter break, the guys have trained pretty hard. Some of them were practicing in local clubs in Columbus, and some were training back home in China, Malaysia, and other parts of the country. We were really excited with how they came back, because they are looking even better than when they left.
"I think as we progress into the year, we are going to surprise some teams. Being a new program, nobody really knows us, and at the same time, that is kind of motivation to put our name on the map regionally and nationally. The guys are hungry to win, and hungry to fight this season."
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MTEN/SVS