CROOKSTON, Minn. - The University of Minnesota Crookston tennis program lifts the lid on the 2024 season Friday, February 2 at 3 p.m., at Choice Health & Fitness against the University of Minnesota Morris. 

The non-conference match will be the first of 2024 for Coach Josh Lunak and his squad. Minnesota Crookston is looking to improve on their program-best mark in 2023 where they went 7-10 (2-9 NSIC). Minnesota Crookston has a strong core returning led by All-NSIC selection Madeleine Schneider (Sr., Gartringen, Germany), who went 14-3 (8-3 NSIC) in singles, and 9-8 (4-7 NSIC) in doubles. The Golden Eagles return Kavya Singh (Jr., Agra, India) went 7-8 at No. 3 singles. Blaike Zander (Jr., Bismarck, N.D.) posted four wins at No. 2 singles in 2023. Kaydance Hinn (Jr., Coon Rapids, Minn.) returns after picking up three wins in doubles last season. In addition to the returners, the Golden Eagles bring in newcomers Nadia Cases Mundet (Fr., Barcelona, Spain), Daniela de Lucas Rivera (Fr., Madrid, Spain), Hannah DeLong (Fr., Sacred Heart, Minn.), and Ariadna Solis Guals (Fr., Santpedor, Spain). 

The Golden Eagles will have a plethora of home matches in the month of February, hosting all five of their home matches during the month. 

The Minnesota Morris Cougars went 9-7 at the NCAA Division III level in 2023. They lost 7-0 to the Golden Eagles to open the 2023 season. The Cougars are led by Kiley Rodarmel, a senior who went 8-6 at No. 1 singles last season. Sophomore Allison Bruhn is back after posting an 8-6 mark at No. 3 singles in 2023. At the No. 4 spot, Valerie Gail went 8-5 last season. At No. 6 singles, Marybeth Toutges returns after posting a 1-8 record for the Cougars the last go-around. 

In doubles, Bruhn and Rodarmel return at the No. 1 slot after going 8-8 a season ago.