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BUCKHANNON – The West Virginia Wesleyan men’s tennis team will begin the spring season next Friday, Feb. 3 at the UC Invite in Charleston. The women’s team will not begin play until March 3 at Johnson & Wales.
For The Men
Wesleyan finished the 2021-22 campaign (10-10) overall and (4-2) in MEC competition. The Bobcats were defeated by eventual MEC Champion Charleston in the conference tournament.
Kihiro Karasawa returns after winning MEC Freshman of the Year and being a First Team All-MEC selection last year. Karasawa also garnered the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s Atlantic Regional Rookie of the Year award, handed to the best freshman in the region.
Camillo Salvi enters his senior season after being named a First Team All-MEC selection as well last year. Salvi was a Second Team All-MEC honoree in the 2020-21 season.
During the fall season, Karasawa and Emanuel Mallya performed well at the ITA Atlantic Regional Championship, with Karasawa winning a pair of singles and a doubles win with Mallya. Salvi led the Bobcats at their last fall season match with Belmont Abbey, picking up five singles wins and a doubles win with Kevin Lin.
After the UC Invite, the Bobcats will head to Carnegie Mellon and Bluefield State to close out the month of February. WVWC has a loaded month of March with non-conference play, eventually starting conference matches on March 31 at West Virginia State. Wesleyan closes out the season with five out of their last six matches being at home.
For The Women
Wesleyan finished the 2021-22 campaign (11-10) overall and (1-5) in MEC competition. The Lady Bobcats just missed out on the MEC Tournament, finishing fifth in the standings.
Cayley Symons is the only returning Lady Bobcat from last year. Omolade Aderemi, Megan Meyer, and Raelyn Vance will join Symons on the courts this season. Cayley had good showing in the fall season finale at Belmont Abbey and is looking to be the leader of the team.
The women have a loaded non-conference slate in the month of the March, sprinkling in conference matches against West Liberty on March 17 and West Virginia State on March 31. April begins their full slate of conference opponents and they close out the season at home against Kutztown.
