First serve … 

The No. 25 Washburn Ichabods (2-1) travel down to Oklahoma City, Okla. to face the Oklahoma Baptist Bison (0-1) this Saturday, Feb. 9. The first serve is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. at the Oklahoma City Tennis Complex.

Last Week …

• The Ichabods split the spring season opener in Springfield, Mo., last weekend against Cameron and No. 20 Drury.
• The match against Cameron came down to the final singles match of the dual and was pushed to a third set, but the Aggies came out on top 4-3.
• The next day was a top-25 battle between Washburn and No. 20 Drury. 
• Washburn jumped out to an early lead by claiming the doubles point and went on to take three singles points at the 3, 5, and 6 positions to seal the victory.
• Alejandro Valarezo Plaza and Paul Haase added a pair of victories to their doubles win column and entered double-digit status at 11-1 on the season.
• Chase Brill had a 2-0 weekend at No. 6 singles. He has a singles season record of 10-2.
• The Ichabods improve to 2-1 on the season after defeating Kansas Wesleyan back in the fall.

Scouting the Opposition ...

Oklahoma Baptist Bison

• The Bison finished the 2017-18 season with a record of 7-8 and went 1-2 in the Great American Conference.
• Heading into the new season, they were picked sixth in the Central Region and fifth in the GAC preseason coaches poll.
• Jason Proctor is in his first season as the head coach for both the men's and women's teams at OBU.
• OBU dropped its opening match against Metro State-Denver, 6-3, on Feb. 1.
• WU is 3-0 when playing OBU, with its most recent win coming by way of a 5-4 victory last February.

Nationally Ranked Ichabods …

• For the second consecutive year, the Ichabods will start the spring season nationally ranked. The team checks in at No. 25 on the latest Oracle/ITA Division II national poll.
• In addition to the team ranking, Washburn also has players appearing in the national listing. 
• The doubles team of Valarezo Plaza/Haase are ranked third in all of Division II.
• Valarezo Plaza is No. 13 in men's singles.

Regional Rankings Abound …

• The Ichabods are ranked No. 2 in the Central Region, trailing only MIAA rival Southwest Baptist.
• Washburn represents three of the top-10 doubles teams in the region. 
• The tandem of Valarezo Plaza and Haase hold down the No. 1 ranking in men's doubles.
• Bradley Eidenmueller / Raul-Alin Dicu and Chase Brill / Marc Roura Casi are ranked back-to-back at seventh and eighth.
• In singles, Valarezo Plaza is ranked second and Haase checks in at 10th. Dicu also made the top-20 with his No. 16 ranking.
• In addition to the regional and national rankings, Washburn was selected second in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll.

'Bods and Ends …

• The Washburn men's and women's teams defeated Drury on Feb. 3, the first time both Washburn teams have done so since their first-ever meeting in 1997.
• Valarezo Plaza is one win away from tying Washburn's all-time career records in both singles and doubles.
• After notching two victories over the weekend, Brill achieved his 45th career win in singles.

Coach Lance Lysaught …

• is in his fifth season as the head coach of the men's and women's Washburn tennis teams.
• has coached the Washburn men to a 48-28 overall record and is 9-11 in MIAA matches.
• led the Ichabods to the NCAA Tournament quarterfinal round in 2018, the first time the program had advanced beyond the national round of 16.
• was tabbed to start up the men's and women's tennis programs at Ottawa University in 2012 where he was the head coach for two seasons.
• is a former Washburn student-athlete who played tennis for the Ichabods from 1987-91.
• was a two-time District 10 singles champion and an NAIA national qualifier in both singles and doubles over his tenure as a player.

Lysaught by the numbers after four seasons coaching both Washburn men and women

7: All-American awards

5: ITA Central Region Championship titles

1: ITA Women's singles National Champion

1: MIAA Most Valuable Player

33: All-MIAA selections

3: NCAA National Tournament appearances

51: MIAA Academic Honor Roll selections