FIRST SERVE

• Washburn hits the road to face Southeastern Oklahoma State on Feb. 27.
• The match is set for 2 p.m. at The Club in Indian Springs in Broken Arrow, Okla.
• The Ichabods and Savage Storm are tied at 3-3 in the all-time record facing each other.
• The last time the two teams played each other was April 20, 2019, when the Ichabods defeated the Savage Storm, 4-3.

 
LAST TIME OUT

• Washburn has improved its record to 2-1 after sweeping William Jewell, 7-0, on Feb. 21.
• The duos of Miquel Perez/Sebastian Pjontek (No. 1 doubles), Paul Haase/Bradley Eidenmueller (second spot) and Raul-Alin Dicu/Daniel Bird (No. 3) teamed up to defeat their opponents and sweep the doubles point.
• In singles competition, Dicu and Perez both lost their first sets at the No. 1 and No. 2 spot, respectively, but battled back to win the next two sets and defeat their Cardinals opponents.
• From the No. 3, 4, 5, and 6 spots, Bird, Marc Roura Casi, Miller Zeiders and Luke Howard each defeated their opponent in two sets.

 
SCOUTING THE SAVAGE STORM

• The Southeastern Oklahoma State Savage Storm hold a 2-1 record this season, after a 6-1 win over UT-Dallas on Feb. 6. The team plays a doubleheader against Oklahoma Wesleyan and Southwest Baptist on Friday prior to Saturday's matchup with Washburn.
• The Savage Storm return Manuel Pilotto and Juan Scoppetta from last year's roster. Seven newcomers join the squad for the 2020-21 season - George Botha, Marcus Del Rosario, Guilherme Dos Santos, Marin Jurkovic, Gen Naraya, Thabo Ncube and Diego Orduz.
• The team was picked first in the South Division in the MIAA/GAC Preseason Coaches Poll.
• Pilotto leads the Savage Storm with a 2-1 singles record this season. The duo of Pilotto and Scoppetta combine for a 2-1 overall doubles record.

 
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

• The Ichabods return home on March 5 to host Barton County Community College at 1 p.m.
• The team then sets out on a roadtrip through Florida the following week, facing Northwood University in Lake Nona, Fla. on March 9 at 11 a.m. at USTA National Campus. Next, they will play Flagler College on March 10 at 3 p.m. in St. Augustine, Fla., before ending the trip with a matchup against Valdosta State on March 11 at 2 p.m. in Valdosta, Ga.
• Washburn later begins conference play on March 27, hosting Newman at 1 p.m.