COLUMBIA, Ky. – The Lindsey Wilson men's and women's tennis teams open the season on Saturday, traveling to Owensboro, Kentucky, for a 10:30 a.m. CT matchup with NCAA Division II Kentucky Wesleyan.

Last season, the Blue Raider men went 15-4 and 6-0 in Mid-South Conference play, capturing both the regular season and conference tournament titles. Lindsey Wilson fell in the second round of the NAIA National Tournament.

The Blue Raiders open the season ranked No. 5 in the NAIA.Lindsey Wilson returns two key players from last year, Lucas Marques and Aldo Randazzo. Head coach Eric Bernabeu expects several newcomers to make an impact on the team this season. "We have a lot of new talent in Facundo Grasso, Mateo Larrea, Lev Sholosh, and Raul Safont," Bernabeu said. "I expect each of them to be a big contributor for us this season. Sholosh captured the singles championship at the ITA Southeast Regional back in the fall.

Bernabeu has high expectations for the men this season. " I expect a season where we compete for everything," Bernabeu added. "The main goals for this season are winning the conference and being one of the final four teams at the national tournament."

The Blue Raider women begin the season ranked No. 3 in the NAIA. Last season, Lindsey Wilson went 18-3 and 6-0 in Mid-South Conference play, capturing both the regular season and conference tournament titles. The Blue Raiders fell in the semifinals of the NAIA National Tournament 4-0 to Georgia Gwinnett.
 
Lindsey Wilson is looking to replace three First Team All-Conference selections from a season ago. Aina Bernabeu, Anastasiia Vorobiova, and Anastasiia Ivanchenko all earned First Team MSC honors. Bernabeu was also the MSC Player of the Year while she and Vorobiova earned All-American honors last season.

Even with the losses, the Blue Raiders bring back a quartet of key players from last season in Mayra Gisone, Heyka Rodriguez, Martina Cortal, and Mariangeles Mateu.

Bernabeu believes that a pair of newcomers can also make an impact on the team this season. "Javiera Verdugo is a strong competitor who will make a difference," Bernabeu said. Verdugo captured the ITA Southeast Regional title in the fall. "Blanca Trillo Pita da Veiga will also make an impact for us," Bernabeu added. "She is a very solid player who had a great run in the events she played in the fall."

On the expectations for this year's team, Bernabeu said, "The goal is for us to win the conference and compete for a national championship and we have the talent and mindset to do it."

The Blue Raiders open their season on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. CT at Kentucky Wesleyan.