SHAWNEE – It's back. The Oklahoma Baptist men's and women's tennis teams start the fall season this weekend, Sept. 15
- 16, with the Oklahoma City Collegiate Open at the Oklahoma City Tennis Center.
This tournament will be hosted by Seminole State College and will feature individual players from several teams. The draws have not yet been announced. Competing teams include Arkansas-Fort Smith, Midwestern State, Southern Nazarene, Texas A&M-Texarkana, Southwestern Christian, Texas Wesleyan, Barton County, Cowley, North Central Texas, Seminole State and Seward County.
With new head coach
Nick Papac and new assistant coach
Jason Proctor, OBU looks to build on last year's strong season (26-5 men, 27-3 women). Papac and Proctor enter their first years as OBU begins its NCAA journey as an official Division II school.
Returning for the men is senior
Daniel Aguilera who was redshirted last year. Aguilera, before being redshirted in 2017, went 12-8 in singles and 15-10 in doubles. He looks to lead a group of young but talented players alongside fellow senior
Luis Romero, who went 10-5 in singles and 22-3 in doubles last year.
Also back for the Bison, whose roster sports no newcomers, are
Kevin Andrusch (24-3 in singles, 15-12 in doubles),
Lucas Castelo Branco (19-8 and 20-9),
Gianluca Galdi (18-3 and 19-11),
Matias Le Fort (15-8, 18-8) and
Babji Atturu (5-2 and 9-1).
Returning from a redshirt year in 2017 for the women is senior
Kateryna Shkot, who last played at No. 2 singles and No. 1 doubles in 2016, going 23-0 in singles and 23-1 in doubles. She heads a crew of seasoned veterans, as well as some young talent.
Kim Moosbacher, a sophomore, was 24-1 in singles last year and 25-4 in doubles.
Also returning are
Madeleine Boepple (21-5, 24-6),
Alex Bowers (22-3, 15-14),
Caroline Abbe (5-1, 7-7) and
Megan Bowlin (1-0, 1-0).
Newcomers for the Lady Bison are sophomores
Jacqueline Charvat from Tulsa and
Tahlia Walsh, a native of New Zealand, who transfers from Emporia State.
