FIRST SERVE

• After Washburn's first match of the season was canceled due to COVID-19 precautions, the Ichabods are set to open their season against Drury on Feb. 7.
• Washburn will face Drury in Springfield, Mo. at 10:15 a.m.
• The Panthers hold the 16-2 advantage in the all-time record over the Ichabods.
• The last time the two teams played each other was Feb. 9, 2020, when Drury took a 4-3 victory over Washburn.

 
SCOUTING THE PANTHERS

• The Drury Panthers ended the 2019-20 season with a 10-0 record, after the season was canceled on March 16, 2020 due to COVID-19.
• The Panthers have seven returners in Gabriel Barrientos, Augustin Diot, Sylvain Garin-Michaud, Nico Hadeler, Isaac Ogilvy, Lukas Stierling and Luis Velasquez. Seven newcomers join the squad for the 2020-21 season - Mark Belk, Pranav Sadhvani, Arthur Sarlet, Claudio Vertiz Olivares, Santiago Villanueva, Marlon Wilken and Richard Zhou.
• Garin-Michaud was named to the NCAA-DII All-American team, which the ITA announced on April 29, 2020. He held a 9-1 singles record and defeated three nationally ranked opponents during the shortened 2019-20 season.
• The duo of Ogilvy and Stierling led the way in doubles action, ending the season with a 10-0 record.
• The team currently holds the No. 7 spot in the ITA preseason rankings, released on Feb. 2, 2020.

 
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 begins 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 travel to Omaha to face Nebraska-Omaha on Feb. 13.
• Washburn hosts William Jewell on Feb. 21 at the Genesis Health Club in southwest Topeka.
• The team begins conference play against Southeastern Oklahoma State on Feb. 27 in Tulsa, Okla.