The tennis program will begin the spring semester with the women opening in the IU Winter Invitational in Indianapolis on Sunday, Jan. 14 and Saturday, Jan. 15. The men’s team will open up against Toledo on Sunday, January 21.
This marks the beginning of the spring season, but looking back on the fall season, coach Eric Burns saw that as a building block for where they are now.
“We were happy with some of our individual results for each of the teams. The fall season is more about getting experience and more individual, unlike the spring that is all about team results," Burns said.
The teams were both meshing new faces with those who are experienced, so the fall helped to prepare everyone, according to Burns.
Burns coaches both the men’s and women’s teams, like some of the other coaches in the Horizon League.
“The majority of Division I teams have a head coach for each team and many have an assistant for each too. In the Horizon League though there are several schools that have the same coach for both," Burns said. "I am lucky to have an excellent assistant in Ben Roeser who handles most of the on court duties with the men’s team. It is double the work of a lot of our competition to have one coach and one full time assistant for two teams, but it allows us to get to know more student-athletes and hopefully make more of an impact.”
In addition to making a larger impact, he viewed Roeser’s added responsibility and how they are able to mix their styles as pros.
Burns expects great things out of the program as a whole.
“Both teams are working to bring a Horizon League title to WSU. The men have won a couple regular season championships in the past… we are looking to get back there and make some noise," Burns said. "The women are coming off back to back runner-up finishes in the Horizon League championship-the highest finishes in the history of the program. They are working to take it another step further and win the championship.”
Overall, he feels that the season will challenge everyone, but also be very successful. Both teams share the goal of aiming for a championship and Burns believes in all of his players.
“We really just want our teams to work hard on and off the court and represent Wright State in a positive way.”
