FIRST SERVE

• The Ichabods hit the road to face Rockhurst on Saturday in Kansas City, Mo., at 1:30 p.m. Washburn was originally scheduled to play Lindenwood on Friday but it was canceled due to cold weather.
• Washburn holds the 18-11 edge over Rockhurst in the all-time series. The squads last played on April 7, 2019, when the Ichabods defeated the Hawks, 6-1.

 
SCOUTING THE HAWKS

• Rockhurst begins the season with a 2-1 record after a 7-0 loss to Augustana.
• The Hawks return six from last year's roster while welcoming in one newcomer.
• Rockhurst is headed by Jamie McDonald in his first year as head coach.
• Dina Dudic leads the Hawks with a 2-1 record from the No. 4 singles spot. She also has a 2-1 doubles record with partner Andrea Dabbah at the No. 2 spot.
• Rockhurst was tabbed fourth in the west division of the GLVC Preseason Poll.

 
LAST TIME OUT

• Washburn are a perfect 6-0 to start the season after coming home from the Florida-Georgia road trip with three back-to-back wins.
• Logan Morrissey set a program record as she recorded her 82nd career doubles win (after a 7-6 victory with partner Svea Crohn from the No. 1 doubles spot) in the Ichabods' 5-2 victory over Northwood on March 9. The Ichabods won the doubles point after the duo of Maja Jung/Kinsey Fields and Morrissey/Crohn won their matches, then went on to win singles points by Marta Torres, Cadence Lynn, Jung and Maria Soler Valverde at the second, sixth, fourth and third spots in the lineup.
• On March 10 against No. 10 nationally ranked Flagler College, the Ichabods persevered through a long battle with the Saints to defeat them, 4-3. After winning the doubles point, Washburn lost the first three singles points as Crohn, Torres and Morrissey fell at the No. 1, 2 and 4 spots. 
• Lynn and Jung then earned victories from the No. 6 and No. 5 spots, respectively, to tie it up. With the match tied up at 3, Soler Valverde battled through a streneous battle at the No. 3 spot, ultimately clinching the Ichabods victory with scores of 6-4, 5-7 and 6-4.
• Washburn capped off the road trip with a 4-1 win over Valdosta State. After winning the doubles point as the duos of Crohn/Morrissey and Jung/Fields won their doubles matches, Jung earned the first singles point from the fifth spot by scores of 6-3 and 6-2. Fields followed with a 6-2, 6-1 victory from the No. 6 spot. After Morrissey fell in her match from the fourth spot, Torres won the clinching point by score of 2-6, 7-5 and 6-0.

 
CHECKING IN WITH THE BODS

• Freshman Maja Jung has made a stellar first impression as she has gone 6-0 in singles action to start the season. Jung is also 4-1 in doubles action with partner Kinsey Fields, playing from the No. 2 spot.
• Maria Soler Valverde holds a 4-0 record playing mainly from the third spot in the lineup. 
• Freshman Marta Torres is also off to a great start with a 4-2 record, mostly from the No. 2 spot. Torres also has a 3-3 doubles record with partner Cadence Lynn from the third spot in the lineup.
• No. 2 regionally ranked duo of Svea Crohn and Logan Morrissey have a 4-1 record from the No. 1 spot.

 
ICHABODS IN THE RANKINGS

• The ITA national team rankings were last updated on March 11, 2021.
• Washburn was picked third in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll, with two first-place votes and 46 points total, released on February 5, 2021.
• The doubles team of Logan Morrissey/Svea Crohn were ranked second in the Central Region according to its last update on April 15, 2020.
• Three Ichabods were also ranked in the top-15 of singles in the Central Region. Maria Soler Valverde checked in at seventh while Morrissey landed in ninth. Crohn rounded out the top-15.

 
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 returns home to for its first conference matchup of the season, hosting Newman on March 27 at 1 p.m. The team will then host another conference opponent on March 28 as Emporia comes to town at 11 a.m.