FIRST SERVE

• The Ichabods begins a three-match road trip against Northwood on March 9 at 10 a.m. at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Fla.
• This will be the first time the Ichabods and Timberwolves play each other in school history.
• Washburn will then face No. 10-nationally ranked Flagler on March 10 at 11 a.m. in St. Augustine, Fla. This will also be their first contest against one another.
• The Ichabods will end the road trip with a matchup against Valdosta State on March 11 at 1 p.m. in Valdosta, Ga. This will be their first matchup together.

 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS

• Northwood holds a 1-4 record to hold the season after a 6-1 loss to Keiser on March 7.
• No. 10 Flagler is off to a 5-2 start following a 6-1 victory over Delta State on March 7.
• Valdosta State are 1-3 after a 4-3 win against Delta State on March 6.

 
LAST TIME OUT

• Washburn improved its record to 3-0 after the Ichabods defeated (RV) Southeastern Oklahoma State, 4-3, on Feb. 27.
• The Ichabods lost the doubles point as only the duo of Cadence Lynn and Marta Torres won their match, 6-2.
• In singles action, Maria Soler Valverde (no. 3), Maja Jung (No. 5) and Torres (no. 2) won the first three points to make up for the lost doubles point. 
• From the fourth spot in the lineup, Logan Morrissey battled through a three-set match to lead the Ichabods to a 4-3 win.
• The Ichabods also played an exhibition match against Barton County on March 5.

 
CHECKING IN WITH THE BODS

• Freshman Maja Jung has made a stellar first impression as she has gone 3-0 in singles action to start the season. Jung is also 1-1 in doubles action with partner Kinsey Fields, playing from the No. 2 spot.
• Maria Soler Valverde holds a 2-0 record playing from the third and fourth spots in the lineup. 
• Freshman Marta Torres is also off to a great start with a 2-1 record, mostly from the No. 2 spot. Torres also has a perfect 3-0 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 1-1 record from the No. 1 spot.

 
ICHABODS IN THE RANKINGS

• The ITA national team rankings were last updated on Feb. 2, 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 host an exhibition match against Cowley County CC on March 17. The match is set for 1 p.m. at the Washburn Tennis Complex.