FIRST SERVE … 

• The Washburn Ichabod men's tennis team will begin its home schedule on Saturday as the Ichabods host McKendree indoors at the Topeka Country Club. First serve is slated for 4:30 p.m.
• The Ichabods are 0-2 to start the season while McKendree is currently 4-1.

LAST WEEK …

• The Ichabods played two teams tied for No. 20 in the nation last week and fell in both duels.
• Against Cameron, Washburn fell, 6-1.
• The Aggies won the doubles point by taking two out of the three matches. Marc Roura Casi and Miller Zeiders defeated their opponents on court three by the score of 7-6.
• In singles action, the top half of the Washburn order made up of Paul Haase, Roura Casi, and Raul-Alin Dicu forced all of their matches to go the distance of three sets, but were unable to come away with a victory.
• Chase Brill won his match at No. 6 singles with a 6-1, 6-4 decision.
• The Ichabods won the doubles point over Drury witth two huge victories over nationally ranked opponents, but the Panthers clawed back in the singles competition to win, 4-3.
• On court No. 1, Paul Haase and Chase Brill defeated the 19th-ranked doubles team in the nation by the score of 6-4. 
• Raul-Alin Dicu and Bradley Eidenmueller also won, 6-4, over the 24th-ranked tandem in Division II and gave Washburn a 1-0 lead heading into single action.
• The Panthers won the first two singles matches on courts one and three to take a 2-1 lead.
• Marc Roura Casi evened the score at 2-2 after a three set triumph at the No. 2 slot, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. 
• Drury went on to win the next two matches and clinched the team victory at No. 5 singles in three sets. 
• Chase Brill added the final point for Washburn with a 6-2, 6-4 win at the No. 6 spot.

SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION ...
McKendree Bearcats

• The McKendree Bearcats have already won more matches this season than in 2018-19 as they sit with a record of 4-1.
• The Bearcats will will take on Rockhurst on Saturday morning before traveling to Topeka.
• McKendree went 2-1 in the fall and have won both spring duel matches so far.
• They have already picked up a conference win with a 5-2 decision over Quincy.
• The team has played a variety of lineups so far this season.
• Todd Tucker is in his first full year as the head coach at McKendree.
• The first match between these two teams was in 1970, which McKendree won 8-4
• Since that first match, Washburn has won three in a row to take a 3-1 series advantage.

ICHABODS IN THE RANKINGS …

• The Ichabods were picked second in North Division of the 2020 MIAA-GAC Coaches Preseason Poll.
• Washburn will start the season ranked sixth in the Central Region.
• Individually, two Ichabods are listed in the top-20 of the Central Region singles rankings which were released on Nov. 19, 2019.
• Haase checked in at No. 9 on the list while Dicu came in at No. 20.
• Haase is also ranked in doubles as he and partner Brill are ranked sixth in the Central Region.

BODS AND ENDS …

• Last season, Washburn was 5-1 when playing in Topeka.
• In home indoor matches, the team went 3-0.
• Brill has won both of his singles matches this spring.
• He now has 63 career wins in singles play, placing him ninth in the Washburn record books for most career victories.
• With his doubles win at Drury, Haase now has sole possession as the sixth-most winningest doubles player in Washburn history. 
• He has 71 career doubles victories.

INTERIM HEAD COACH DAVID PRICE …

• David Price was appointed the interim head coach for the 2020 spring season on January 22, 2020. 
• Price has been in his second stint as an assistant coach for the Washburn tennis programs for past three seasons. He also previously served as an assistant under head coach Peg Marmet.
• He brings over 20 years of coaching experience to the program.
• He was an Ichabod himself as he played for Washburn from 1988-92 where he played the No. 1 singles and doubles position.
• Price earned the NAIA singles and doubles champion titles at the No. 1 position his freshman year as well as winning the conference championship at No. 1 singles as a senior.

TAKE A LOOK AHEAD …

• Washburn will stay at home for its next match and host Bethel College on March 3. The match is scheduled to take place at the Washburn Tennis Complex with a first serve coming at 2 p.m.