First Serve … 

• The Washburn men's tennis team (5-2) returns to action Tuesday, March 12 as they host Central College at Genesis Health Club in Southwest Topeka. The match is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.
   

Last Time Out …

• The Ichabods last played at home on March 2 as they grounded the Newman Jets in a 5-2 victory.
• Washburn swept the doubles competition to take an early 1-0 lead in the dual match.
• Paul Haase / Luke Howard and Marc Roura Casi / Raul-Alin Dicu won a pair of 6-2 matches at the No. 1 and 2 slot.
• At No. 3, Chase Brill and Bradley Eidenmueller topped their opponents, 6-3.
• The Ichabods continued to dominate in singles action and won at the first four positions in the lineup.
• Haase made a statement to start things off at the top of the order by dropping just one game en route to his 6-1, 6-0 victory.
• Roura Casi picked up a 6-2, 6-3 win at the No. 3 slot.
• Dicu clinched the team victory at No. 2 by picking up a 6-3, 7-6 (7-2) triumph.
• At No. 5, Eidenmueller rounded out the scoring for Washburn in a victorious three set battle. He rallied late in the third frame to grab the 7-5, 5-7, 10-7 win.
   

Scouting the Opposition ...

Central College Dutch

• The Central College Dutch men's team (Division III) went 15-12 last season and posted a 6-2 record in the American Rivers Conference. 
• The team is currently 3-5 start to the season.
• Ryun Ferrell has been the head coach of the both the men's and women's teams at Central College since 2014. At the helm of the men's team, he holds a 54-30 (22-9 ARC) record.
• This will be the first-ever meeting between the two teams.
   

Nationally Ranked Ichabods …

• Washburn has two players appearing in the ITA national listing. 
• The doubles team of Alejandro 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 …

• Valarezo Plaza is one win away from claiming sole possession of Washburn's career doubles record. He is currently tied at 92 wins with former doubles partner, Blake Hunter. 
• He broke the program's all-time career singles record against Southern Arkansas on Feb. 15. He is now 80-29 in singles action and has gone 47-17 all at the No. 1 position.
• The Ichabods are undefeated this season when playing at the Genesis Health Club tennis center.
   

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 53-30 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.

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