FIRST SERVE

• Washburn is set to face Omaha in Omaha, Neb., on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at Miracle Hill Tennis Center.
• The Ichabods hold the 23-2 advantage in the all-time record over the Mavericks.
• The last time the two teams played each other was March 17, 2012, when Washburn swept Omaha, 9-0. The Mavericks have moved up to Division I since their last matchup with the Ichabods. Omaha has been in the DI Summit League since the 2012-13 season.

 
SCOUTING THE MAVERICKS

• The Omaha Mavericks are off to a 2-5 start to their season and are coming off a 4-3 loss against Northern Illinois.
• The Mavericks return 10 from last year's roster, including Ethan Henry, Matt Hulme, Davis Lawley, Yaswanth Mylavarapu, Abdoul Ouattara, Hugo Piles Ballester, Alvaro Quintana, Mason Sniatynski, Ben Starman, and Jabob Weber. Two newcomers join the squad for the 2020-21 season - Julian Kenzlers and Philip Olsson.
• Outarra was named Summit League Athlete of the Week on January 26 after going a perfect 4-0 the weekend before. He holds a 2-2 singles record playing mainly from the No. 1 spot and 6-1 doubles record with partner Hulme at the top of the lineup.
• Hulme, who was listed on the Summit League's Preseason Athletes to Watch List, has a 3-4 record in singles action from the No. 2 spot.

 
LAST TIME OUT

• Washburn is coming off a 5-2 win over No. 7 Drury in its season opener.
• After losing the doubles point by 2 of 3, the Ichabods battled back to win 5 of 6 in singles competition. Paul Haase secured the first singles point as he defeated his opponent by 7-6 (3), 6-3 from the No. 3 spot. Bradley Eidenmueller cinched the winning point as he claimed a 6-4, 6-1 victory from the fifth spot of the lineup.
• The lone doubles win was from the duo of Raul Alin-Dicu and Eidenmueller as they defeated their opponent with a 6-4 win from the No. 2 doubles spot.

 
CHECKING IN WITH THE BODS

• The Ichabods return seven from last year's roster, while welcoming in two newcomers.
• Washburn had two regionally-ranked student-athletes in the final 2020 ITA rankings - Raul-Alin Dicu and Paul Haase - are among the returners and will be key performers for the Ichabods this season.
• Dicu ended the 2020 season with an 8-5 singles record and a 7-3 doubles record with partner Bradley Eidenmueller. Haase held a 7-4 record in singles and 6-2 record in doubles.
• Juniors Eidenmueller, Luke Howard, and Marc Roura Casi, sophomore Miller Zeiders and freshman Miquel Perez also rejoin the team this season.
• Two newcomers - Daniel Bird and Sebastian Pjontek - also join the team this spring season. Bird is a transfer from East Carolina University after its tennis programs were permanently cut. He had a 3-5 record in singles and 2-1 doubles record in his freshman season for the Pirates. Pjontek will join the team as a true freshman.

 
ICHABODS IN THE RANKINGS

• Individually, two Ichabods were listed in the top-20 of the Central Region singles rankings, which was last updated April 15, 2020. Raul-Alin Dicu was ranked at No. 16, while Paul Haase checked in at No. 19.
• The Ichabods were picked second in the north division in the MIAA/GAC Preseason Coaches Poll, released on February 5, 2021. The team gathered three-first place votes and 26 points total.
• Updated ITA national team rankings were released on Feb. 2.

 
HEAD COACH KIRBY RONNING

• Kirby Ronning is in his first season as the Washburn head tennis coach for the Ichabods men's and women's programs after being named to the position on July 23, 2020. Prior to Washburn, Ronning spent four seasons as the assistant coach at Azusa Pacific, where he helped lead the Cougars to multiple NCAA postseason appearances and earned himself both ITA West Region's Men's Tennis Assistant Coach of the Year and Women's Tennis Assistant Coach of the Year. 
• He earned his bachelor's degree in business from Bethel University (Minn) in 2014 and his master's in physical education from Azusa Pacific in May 2020.
• Ronning also played at Bethel for four years, playing primarily at No. 2 singles and No. 1 doubles position.

 
TAKE A LOOK AHEAD

• Washburn hosts its home opener against William Jewell on Feb. 21 at 12 p.m. at the Genesis Health Club in southwest Topeka.
• The team begins conference play against Southeastern Oklahoma State on Feb. 27 at 1:30 p.m. in Tulsa, Okla.