Tennis is back at John Brown University (JBU). After playing a couple of contests in the fall semester, the season will kick off again on Friday, Feb. 11, when the men’s and women’s teams travel to Conway, Arkansas, to take on Hendrix College. Going into the season, both the men’s and women’s teams will look to bounce back after sub-.500 seasons—not to say there were no positive developments for both teams last year.
On the men’s side, the team finished 5-10 overall. It was an improvement on their record of 3-8 from the 2019-20 season although it was well behind the 8-5 mark they finished at two seasons prior. The men won their two fall semester battles against Oklahoma Wesleyan back in September, so they will walk into Conway on Friday with a 2-0 record on the season.
Possibly their biggest bright spot from last season came in the form of Hudson Dick, who finished 8-5 in singles and doubles play as a freshman. He was the only Golden Eagle to finish above .500 in singles play across both teams, and his efforts were rewarded with an All-Conference First Team selection. Meanwhile, the duo of Dick and Cade Cox proved to be very effective in winning their battles, as they finished 7-5 in doubles together, winning their last five. Cox, though, is one of several players that head tennis coach Mike Campbell will be tasked with replacing this spring.
When breaking down the roster, Campbell, in his second season at the helm, said that he will be looking to his more experienced players to provide a spark behind Hudson Dick.
“On the men’s side, we are led by, of course, Hudson at #1 but both our seniors at #2 and #3. Logan [Wheeler] and Woody [Woodring] are leaders and competitors,” Campbell said. “They are incredibly exciting to watch, and I’m excited to see their senior season really kick off.”
Meanwhile, the women’s team will look to rebound off their 0-13 campaign last year. The team is currently in the middle of an 18-match losing streak, as they haven’t been on the receiving end of a win since Feb. 28, 2020. They were defeated in their two fall-semester matches against Ouachita Baptist and Northeastern State. With that said, there are several areas on the team that are sources of excitement for Coach Campbell.
“I am very encouraged as we have three newcomers playing in our top six this year,” Campbell said, also noting that “I have heard from several coaches who have been incredibly encouraging after watching our ladies compete last fall. This has the potential to be a very nice year.”
The JBU women also are looking to receive another big push from senior Sydney Smith, who made a big impact last season. She finished a team-best 3-10 in singles play, while her pairing with then-freshman Abigail Woodring proved to be their most successful combination in doubles. Smith’s performance last season earned her her first All-Conference First Team Selection. Meanwhile, Woodring is another player that will look to make strides in her second season as a Golden Eagle. Campbell said that “she comes back as one of the most improved players on our team.”
When speaking on the keys to a successful season this spring, Campbell said, “The key for both teams this year will be our ability to play doubles well and win the very coveted doubles point. Three doubles matches are played and the winner of two of three gets that point. We need that point this year.” Also noting how crucial it is to get the season started on the right foot with favorable results in Conway this weekend, Campbell said, “It is important to get off to a fast start, and this weekend is critical to that.”
This weekend, the men will play three matches in the span of just over 24 hours, taking on Hendrix (Feb. 11), in addition to Dallas Baptist (Feb. 11) and University of the Ozarks (Feb. 12). The women will take on Hendrix and the University of the Ozarks, and both teams will follow this by returning to Siloam Springs to take on Sterling College on Feb. 17. That matchup will be the first of five teams will play at home this semester.
Photo courtesy of JBU Tennis