Ferris Tennis Teams Open Spring Seasons

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University men's and women's tennis teams will officially open spring semester action by hosting the Lewis (Ill.) Flyers in a doubleheader on Saturday (Feb. 20) at the FSU Racquet and Fitness Center.

The Bulldog women, who posted a 7-5 overall record along with a 5-4 mark in Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) action last fall, will open the day's play by taking on Lewis at 10 a.m. (EST).  The men's team will follow with its first official dual match of the campaign against the Flyers at 3 p.m. (EST) and the public is invited to attend both matches.

Both Ferris State teams are guided by third-year head coach Alex Palladino, who helped the women's squad to a fifth-place overall finish in last fall's GLIAC Tournament (Oct. 24-25) held in Lansing, Mich. 

The men's team did not compete in dual competition last fall per NCAA Divsion II playing regulations, but did take part in the annual Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Midwest Regional Championships on Sept. 25-26 in Midland, Mich.

Ferris' women's team is presently ranked sixth in the latest ITA Midwest Regional Rankings with the men's team listed fourth in their respective regional poll.

Junior Amy Ingle of the women's team is the eighth-ranked singles competitor in the region and is also eighth in the doubles listing along with junior Tiffany Rheynard.

Meanwhile, Bulldog senior Ahmet Demir is ranked 14th individually in the men's region while the combination of sophomores Jack Swan and Justin Hermes are ninth overall in doubles play.

The Bulldog men posted a 14-8 overall record during the 2008-09 season and reached the second round of the NCAA Divsion II Midwest Regional Tournament.  FSU will open GLIAC men's tennis play on March 20 against Lake Superior State at home.

The women's team will play a total of eight matches during the spring campaign prior to postseason competition.