MACOMB, Ill. – After getting postponed last weekend, the Western Illinois women's Tennis team opens up the 2019 campaign at SIUE on Saturday (Jan. 26) and continues with a trip up north to battle Green Bay on Sunday (Jan. 27).
First serve is set to begin at 2:30 p.m. against SIUE on Saturday and then 10 a.m. on Sunday at Green Bay. Last season WIU swept the Phoenix to open up one of the most successful years of the program and later defeated the Cougars 5-2, which started a season high four-match win streak.
FRESH FIVE: This season freshmen Anouk Maajong, Natalie Malone, Mia Melnizki, Camryn Rossa and Megan Tagaloa all suit up for the Purple and Gold for the first time to make their college debuts. All five have already earned their first collegiate victory this past fall. Tagaloa also was tagged as Summit League Preseason Watch List.
COACHING SUCCESS: Fourth-year head coach Mirko Bjelica looks to keep the trend of improving each season. Last year, he coached the Leathernecks to a 10-8 overall record and 2-2 mark in Summit League play to earn a bid to the postseason tournament for the first time in four years. Bjelica has added more wins to the program each season and helped snap 34-match conference losing streak.
ITA RECOGNITION: In the classroom last year, women's tennis recorded the highest term grade point averages in the Leatherneck Athletic Department. The team boasted a 3.816 GPA in the spring semester with three student-athletes posting a perfect 4.0 GPA. For their efforts, the Intercollegiate Tennis Association named Western Illinois an all-academic team while individually acknowledging Ballesteros, Ana Bjelica and Mary Bjelica as ITA scholar-athletes.
SCOUTING THE PHOENIX: Green Bay host the weekend matchup with new head coach Brian Nelson at the helm. He spent the last 11 seasons at Seminole State College where he won NJCAA/ITA Region 2 Coach of the Year for both the men and women.
SCOUTING THE COUGARS: Similar to Green Bay, SIUE also hosts the Leathernecks with a new head coach. Adam Alberstsen takes over, and with him, four newcomers ready for the 2019 season. The Cougars also return four, including Callaghan Adams, Ann-Christine Link and Lara Tupper who all were part of the 2016-2017 Ohio Valley Conference Championship team.
UP NEXT: Western travels to the Show Me state next weekend to face host Missouri State on Friday (Feb. 8) and then Creighton Saturday (Feb. 9)
