MARSHALL, Texas – Set for their first action as a team this spring, the East Texas Baptist University women's tennis team will open their 2019 campaign on the road with two matches in Abilene, Texas, against McMurry University and the University of the Southwest. ETBU is picked to win the American Southwest Conference East Division this year.
 
Last year, ETBU finished 6-10 overall and 4-1 in the conference for second in the ASC East division. They reached the semifinals in the conference tournament where they fell to the University of Texas Dallas. ETBU returns seven members from last season's team including seniors Mullika Seekhieo, Kaleigh Smith, Tiffany Stankiewicz, and Tess Willis, juniors Elisa Kendall and Ashley Schenck, and sophomore Cassidy Wilcoxson. New to the team this year is freshmen Olivia Parmelly.
 
A year ago, ETBU hosted McM at home and defeated the War Hawks 6-3. The #3 doubles pair of Kendall and Seekhieo won their match 8-5 while ETBU also managed to win four singles points to claim the match overall. McM finished 12-9 last season overall and 5-1 in the ASC West Division.
 
This also marks the first time that ETBU and USW will compete against each other.
 
Both matches will take place on Saturday with the first one being at 9:00 AM against McM. Then, the Tigers will face USW at 2:00 PM.