BABSON PARK, Fla. (January 21, 2019) – The Webber International University men's and women's tennis teams are set to open up their respective 2019 seasons starting on Wednesday, January 23, with what is also their Sun Conference season opener against the College of Coastal Georgia, which finished last season ranked No. 22 in the NAIA on the men's side. The matches are set to begin at 1 p.m. on Webber's campus tennis courts.

The Warriors will also host TSC opponents Ave Maria University at 1 p.m. on Saturday, January 26, and SCAD Savannah, which was ranked No. 11 in the NAIA on the women's side at the end of last year, a week later on Saturday, February 2.

"We are looking forward to the upcoming season and competing with the teams we have scheduled," said Head Coach Otis Cuthaw, who is entering his second season at the helm of both the Warriors' men's and women's tennis programs. "It's always fun to have a fresh start and not know what is going to happen or where we will go, but to enjoy the journey to get there."

In The Sun Conference's Men's Tennis Preseason Coaches' Poll, Webber was picked in a tie for fourth out of eight teams while the Lady Warriors were picked to finish fifth out of eight teams in league's Women's Tennis Preseason Coaches' Poll.

It was a strong first season for Coach Cutshaw and the Warriors last year as Webber's women's tennis team reached its highest win totals both overall and in the conference since 2012 while the men's team reached its highest win totals since 2015.

In 2018, Webber went 5-13 overall and 2-5 in The Sun Conference on the men's side with victories over No. 18 SCAD Savannah, Southeastern University, Iowa Central Community College, NCAA Division-III Arcadia University and NCAA Division-II Franklin Pierce University.

The key returner for the Warriors on the men's side this year is senior Hugo Hasegawa. Last season, Hasegwa was an NAIA Second-Team All-American, was named First-Team All-Sun Conference, and was regionally ranked in the ITA South Region for both NAIA singles and doubles. Hasegawa was the first Webber men's tennis player to earn all-conference since the 2013-14 season. Junior Ivan Bondarenko is also a key returner and a part of that regionally ranked doubles team. 

Newcomers expected to make an impact on this year's men's tennis team include freshman Christof Buhler from Germany; sophomore Rodrigo De Queiroz, who is a transfer from rival Warner University; sophomore Jordi Serrano, a transfer from Campbellsville University; freshman Michael Kotlin from the Czech Republic; and junior Raul Rodriguez; a transfer from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.

On the women's side last season, Webber went 5-14 overall and 2-5 in the conference with wins over No. 22 St. Thomas University, Ave Maria, NCAA D-II Southwest Minnesota State University, Iowa Central and Franklin Pierce.

Key returners for the Webber women's tennis team include sophomore Emily John, sophomore Isabelle Niehoff, junior Jenna Fosdick and sophomore Svenja Koenig. All four ladies will be starting their second year at Webber and were only one match away from making The Sun Conference tournament last year.

Newcomers to keep any eye on for the Lady Warriors include freshman Paula John from Germany and freshman Megan Kelson from Lakeland, Florida.

Key losses for the Warrior men were Gustavo Fortunato and Oscar Alvarez, who both graduated last year.  On the women's side, the Warriors lost Juliana Fuentes, who was a four-year starter in the program.