By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- The Willamette University men's tennis team will start the spring season on Friday, Feb. 9 against Idaho State Univerisity. The match will start at 2 p.m. (PST) at the Salem Tennis and Swim Club, located at 4318 Lone Oak Road SE in Salem.

Top returning players for the Bearcats Aaron Schechter (Jr., Seattle, WA/James A. Garfield HS) and Colin Fisher (So., Caldwell, ID/Thomas Jefferson Charter School). In singles last season, Schechter competed mostly at #2 singles, but also played several matches at #1 singles. Fisher split his matches between #5 and #6 singles, plus two matches at #4 singles. Endy Zarate (Jr., Salem, OR/McKay HS) and Gene Perle-Jones (So., Eugene, OR/North Eugene HS) also return for the Bearcats.

"I am very happy with spring practice," Willamette Head Coach Rick Wood said. "We are all excited to start playing matches. We have a young team with only three guys who have had college match experience. I hope to see huge improvements over the season from our freshmen."

Willamette is scheduled to play 16 matches this spring. Eight of those matches will count in the Northwest Conference, as the Bearcats take on the other NWC teams. After playing schedules of 1 1/2 round-robins in NWC play the past few seasons, NWC teams will play only one round-robin of conference games this year. The Bearcats' first NWC match is set for Sunday, Feb. 18 at Lewis & Clark College at 9 a.m. (PST).

The schedule includes two non-conference matches against NWC teams. The Bearcats will take on Pacific Lutheran University on Feb. 24 and will battle University of Puget Sound on Feb. 25, with both matches to be played in Tacoma, Washington. Willamette will face Puget Sound in NWC action on March 10 in Salem, Oregon, and will host Pacific Lutheran in an NWC match one day later on March 11.