Erie, Pa. - Mercyhurst Tennis officially kicks the new season off this weekend as they are set to compete in the Bloomsburg Invitational beginning Friday, September 8th, and ending on the 9th.

A Look Back

Mercyhurst's men's team finished their 2022-23 season 11-8 while making it to the finals match of the of the PSAC tournament, earning a bid for the NCAA tournament. The women were 10-9 a season ago, seeing their season come to a close in the first round of the PSAC tournament.

Familiar Faces

The Lakers welcome back the majority of last year's rosters with six members of each team returning for another year. Among that group for the women is Kayla Dean. After being named the PSAC West Freshman of the Year in 2021-22, Dean cleaned up with Doubles and Singles First Team nods while being named the PSAC West Athlete of the Year. For the men, Lukas Cabue Valverde and Ben Davis rejoin the team after seasons in which they were named all-conference honorees, giving the team solid talent at the top.

History Lesson

Mercyhurst fared well in their time at the Bloomsburg Invitational a season ago with the men seeing several wins in singles action. Danylo Rekun grabbed a flawless 4-0, 4-0 win while Juan Carlos Hernandez Briones came away victories 5-3, 4-1. The women came out even stronger in singles play, winning 10 matches with Roisin Murphy grabbing a 4-0, 4-0 victory to lead the way.

New Names

Head Coach Jerome Simon added several new members to his crew for the new season with one women and three men. For the women, Daria Rogova joins the unit, looking to make an impact in an already established group. For the men, Sviatoslav Koliadynski, Kazumasa Sadohara, and Derek Winsnes add to the depth of the roster.

Next Game

After the Bloomsburg Invitational, the Lakers eye the ITA Atlantic Regional taking place September 14th through the 17th with the team making the trip back to Bloomsburg, Pa. For that tournament.