CROOKSTON, Minn. - The University of Minnesota Crookston tennis program will open up the 2015 season Feb. 14 as they take on Upper Iowa University and Winona State University at the Winona Tennis Center in Winona, Minn.  The Golden Eagles will take on Upper Iowa at 12:30 p.m. and Winona State at 7 p.m.

The Golden Eagles are in their first season under new Head Coach Ryan McGuigan, who was a former player at NCAA Division I University of North Dakota from 2012-14 and who laso works as a tennis instructor at Choice Health and Fitness in Grand Forks, N.D.

The Golden Eagles are led by Catherine Brown (Jr., Powell Butte, Ore./Animal Science), who went 6-8 at the No. 2 singles position last season and went 10-6 at No. 1 doubles for Minnesota Crookston. In addition to Brown, UMC has a completely new roster with Whitney Erickson (Fr., Spring Valley, Minn./Early Childhood Education), Christina Smith (Fr., Oylen, Minn./Communications) and Chelsea Burrows (Fr., Eagan, Minn.) joining the squad.

In addition, soccer players Nikki Dogan (Fr., Grand Forks, N.D./Health Science) and Rachelle Alcini (Sr., Ann Arbor, Mich./Health Science) have also joined the tennis team for the 2015 season.

UMC went 4-12 (1-10 NSIC) last season under Kyle Anderson. The Golden Eagles had a conference win over University of Minnesota Duluth.

Upper Iowa went 13-9 (8-3 NSIC) in 2014. The Peacocks are led by Iris Verweij, who was 12-2 at the No. 1 position last season. Verweij and Victoria Kulbokas were 7-5 at No. 1 doubles last season for the Peacocks.

Winona State went 11-12 (7-4 NSIC) during the 2014 season. The Warriors are led by Aimee Basinski, who went 14-6 at No. 3 single last season. In doubles, Basinski and Brianna Havelka were 15-6 at No. 2 doubles for Winona State last season.

For more information, visit the Golden Eagle Athletics website at www.goldeneaglesports.com.
 
Follow the Golden Eagles on Facebook at Golden Eagle Sports and on Twitter at @UMCAthletics.
 
The University of Minnesota, Crookston is an NCAA Division II Institution and a member of the Northern
Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). The Golden Eagle Equestrian team is a member of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA).