FIRST SERVE … 

• The Washburn women's tennis team will take part in the inaugural ITA Indoor Championships this weekend in Edmond, Okla. The Ichabods will be the eight-seed in the tournament and will take on the defending NCAA National Champions and No. 1-ranked Barry Buccaneers on Friday, Feb. 28 at 11 a.m.
• Washburn is 2-1 on the season after defeating McKendree, 6-1.
• Barry is the top-seed and undefeated at 6-0.

ABOUT THE ITA INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS …

• Eight teams from five states will compete in the first-ever ITA Indoor Championships with a winner being crowned on championship Sunday.
• The eight teams invited is based on the 2019 Final ITA Division II National rankings with one place reserved for the host team, Central Oklahoma. 
• Washburn finished the 2019 season ranked ninth in the nation.
• The teams competing at the championships are some of the top teams in the country: No. 1 Barry, No. 3 Columbus, No. 4 Indianapolis, No. 5 Nova Southeastern, No. 6 Saint Leo, No. 8 Hawaii Pacific, and No. 9 Central Oklahoma will compete.
• The three-day tournament will be held at the Oak Tree Country Club in Edmond, Okla.
• Washburn will play either Saint Leo or Nova Southeastern on Saturday.
• All teams will play their final match on Sunday.
• Live score updates can be accessed by downloading the Tennis-Ticker Livescores application on your Apple/Android device.
• Admission and parking for the event is free.

LAST WEEK …

• Washburn posted a 6-1 victory in its home opener Saturday against McKendree.
• The Ichabods claimed the doubles point with wins on courts one and two and then won the third match by default.
• Logan Morrissey and Svea Crohn started things off with a 6-1 victory at the No. 1 slot and Kinsey Fields and Maria Soler Valverde clinched the point with a 6-3 triumph at No. 2.
• The Ichabods went on to win four singles matches in straight-sets and one by default. 
• Soler Valverde cruised to a 6-0, 6-1 decision at the top of the order. 
• At No. 3, Madison Lysaught won 7-6, 6-2. 
• Crohn put Washburn up 4-0 with a 7-6, 6-2 win at the No. 2 spot. 
• Fields shut out her opponent at No. 5 singles, 6-0, 6-0.
• The match on court six was won by default.

SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION ...

BARRY BUCCANEERS

• The Buccaneers are coming off their third-straight NCAA National Championship in 2019 and have compiled an impressive record of 90-2 since the 2017 season.
• They won five national titles in the 2010s decade.
• Despite losing four seniors, the team returns six from last year's squad while welcoming six more.
• Five of their six wins this season have been shutouts.
• Jill Engelmann is ranked fifth in the nation for singles. Julie Razafindranaly and Daniela Farfan are also in the top-50, checking in at No. 41 and No. 47, respectively.
• Freshman Xiyao Wang was named the UTR ITA Division II National Player of the Week on Feb. 25 after winning three singles and doubles matches with two of those singles victories coming against nationally-ranked opponents.
• Head Coach Avi Kigel took over the Barry tennis program in 2009 and has led the team to all five national titles and holds a career coaching record of 280-24.

 ICHABODS IN THE RANKINGS …

• Washburn is receiving votes in the most recent ITA National top-25 poll, which was released Feb. 19.
• The next ITA rankings will come out on March 18.
• In the 2020 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll, the Ichabods landed in a tie for third.
• The doubles team of Morrissey/Crohn are No. 22 in the latest national rankings (Nov. 20) and are second in the Central Region.
• Three Ichabods are ranked in the top-15 of singles in the Central Region.
• Soler Valverde checked in at seventh while Morrissey landed in ninth.
• Crohn rounded out the top-15.

BODS AND ENDS …

• In 2019, the Ichabods were ranked in the ITA National Top-25 Poll for nine-straight weeks and spent eight of those weeks in the top-10.
• They reached a program-best No. 5 in the rankings three different times.
• Washburn is currently receiving votes in the national poll.
• With her doubles win against McKendree, Morrissey moved into a three-way tie for the second-most career doubles wins in Washburn's program history.
• She currently has 78 and is tied alongside Misty Nigh (1996-2000) and Erin Underwood (2000-04).
• Marissa Moment (1997-2001) is Washburn's all-time career leader in doubles with 81 wins.
• Crohn, Soler Valverde, Fields, and Lysaught are all 2-1 in singles play.
• Washburn women's team has never played Barry.

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 …

• After Washburn's time at the ITA Indoor Championships, the team will return to Topeka and host two matches next week against Bethel (March 3) and Tabor (March 6).