GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University women's tennis team faces the University of Charleston in the official opening of the 2025 spring season on the campus of Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee on Sunday, Feb. 2 at 3 p.m.
The Pioneers were selected seventh in the South Atlantic Conference preseason coaches poll following a 14-8 overall record and an 8-4 mark in conference play during the 2024 season. First-year head coach Garcian D'Cruz takes over a roster of eight players that include three returning starters from last year's team.
Tusculum took on Division I UNC Asheville this past Saturday in an exhibition match at Division I UNC Asheville, falling 7-0 to the Bulldogs. The Pioneers will have another Division I exhibition at Western Carolina on Monday, Feb. 3.
PREVIEW
Returning for the Pioneers are senior Elodie Baechler (La Rippe, Switzerland), junior Ylva Frafjord Landa (Sandnes, Norway) and sophomore Thilda Danielsson (Ahus, Sweden).
Baechler, named preseason first-team All-SAC in singles, has been a second-team All-Conference pick in doubles each of the last two years. Baechler was 15-6 in singles and 14-11 in doubles last season, and has career records of 42-36 in singles and 41-39 in doubles in three years at Tusculum.
Landa led the Pioneers with 19 singles wins last season and is 35-19 in two years in singles play, to go along with a 31-21 record in doubles competition. Danielsson was 7-11 in singles and 5-12 in doubles in her first season with the Pioneers.
Junior Katie Bradley (Auchterarder, Scotland) comes to Tusculum after playing two seasons at Emory & Henry, where she had five singles victories and six doubles wins for the Wasps.
Joining the program as freshmen are Samira Butt (Liverpool, England), Valeria Diaz (Maipu, Chile), Luisa Gerke (Kassel, Germany) and Jimena Rivera (Manzanillo, Mexico).
SCHEDULE
Several nationally-ranked teams appear on the Pioneers schedule for the 2025 season, which includes league rivals Wingate (8th) and Catawba (25th) along with non-conference opponent North Georgia (6th).
The Pioneers host King in their home opener on Tuesday, Feb. 18, with the SAC opener at Anderson on Wednesday, March 5. The SAC Tournament is slated for the Palmetto Tennis Center in Sumter, South Carolina on April 16-18.
