The Basics
Drake men's tennis will begin its spring campaign by welcoming Washburn, Northern Illinois and William Woods to the Roger Knapp Tennis Center Jan. 20-21. Drake will kick off the season against Washburn on Saturday at noon, before competing against Northern Illinois later that day at 6 p.m. The Bulldogs will finish the weekend against William Woods on Sunday at 4 p.m.
Head Coach Ben Lott on the Spring Season
"The team is excited to get started with our spring season. We have had a good two weeks of preparation and we feel strong as a group coming into the opening weekend. I am especially excited to see our two freshmen - Ben Johnson and Aaron Dawson - compete for the first time this weekend. They have both fit in seamlessly with the culture and professionalism that we have in this group, and I can't wait to see the impact they will have. These first matches will be a good test for us to see where we are at, and the areas that we can work on moving forward through the Spring Season."
Scouting The Competition
In the 2022-23 season, The Washburn Ichabods went 17-8, won the MIAA/GAC conference tournament and advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament Round of 16. Washburn's success merited three Ichabods being named as ITA All-Americans. Tim Hammes and Sebastian Pjontek, who were 2023 singles and doubles ITA-All Americans respectively, returned to Washburn for the 2023-24 season. Washburn slotted in at number 15 in NCAA Divison II men's tennis in the Top 25 Coaches Poll.
Northern Illinois finished with a 13-10 record in the 2022-23 season. Key Huskies returners are 2022-23 MAC Freshman of the Year, Iker Gaztambide Arrastia and Second Team All-MAC honoree, Mikael Vollbach. Thus far in 2024, the Huskies are 1-1, securing a victory against Chattanooga and dropping their most recent match to Mississippi State.
William Woods boasted a dominant 20-5 record in the 2022-23 season. The Owls swept Texas Wesleyan, netting them a trip to the NAIA National Championship. William Woods then lost a nailbiter 4-3 match in their first matchup in the NAIA National Championship. Owl standout Vaclav Schneider was named an ITA NAIA All-American after going 27-6 in singles matchups and 11-3 in doubles; Schneider headlines the 2023-24 William Woods roster.
Bulldog Roster Outlook
Returning for the Bulldogs from the 2023 Summit League Champion squad are Markus Bolin, Matt Clegg, Will Ecklund, Reid Jarvis, Oliver Johansson, Matija Matic, Jeremy Schifris and Olle Sonesson Lidholt. The freshmen newcomers are United Kingdom natives Aaron Dawson and Ben Johnson. Drake, returning eight players from their impressive 2023 roster, was voted to finish second in the 2024 Summit League via the preseason coaches poll. Schifris, a Bulldog senior, was picked as Drake's preseason Athlete to Watch. Drake alumnus Ben Lott is in his first season at the helm of Bulldogs' tennis. Lott's team is nursing two injuries entering the season. Due to injury, Jarvis is not expected to compete this spring. Sonesson Lidholt has a minor injury and is expected to return for Drake's matches on Jan. 28.
2023 Summit League Tournament Championship Recap
The Bulldogs completed their quest to become back-to-back champions last season, defeating the Summit League regular season champion, Denver, in the league's title match. Drake concluded the season with a 16-11 record, going 4-1 in conference play. The Summit League victory earned Drake its second consecutive NCAA tournament berth. Current Bulldogs Blevins, Bolin, Clegg, Ecklund, Jarvis, Johansson, Matic, Schifris and Sonesson Lidholt were all on the roster for both NCAA tournament appearances. Drake was also honored with five players earning All-League status; the Summit League announced that Jarvis, Johansson, Matic and Schifris all made the All-League team.
2023 Fall Recap
Drake men's tennis competed in five tournaments this past fall. The Bulldogs opened their fall campaign at home, hosting their lone home tournament. Defending their home court, the Bulldogs went 6-2, winning three matches in straight sets. Drake also competed in two ITA Championship tournaments. Schifris advanced to the singles Round of 16 in the ITA Central Regional Championships and was the sole Bulldog to compete in the ITA All-American Championship qualifying round. The coupling of Johansson and Matic advanced to the doubles quarterfinal round in the ITA Central Regional Championship and were the only Bulldog doubles pair to compete in the qualifying round of the ITA All-American Championships.
