SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The Evangel Valor tennis teams kick off their respective 2022 seasons on Friday against the University of Health Science and Pharmacy at the Cooper Tennis Complex in Springfield, Missouri. 

OPENING STORYLINES

► Evangel's women won their last season opener to Bethel in February of 2021, 5-2. The men lost their season opener, 7-0.

► This is Head Coach Mirko Bjelica's second season leading both tennis teams. The men finished with a record of 3-12 last year; the Valor women finished with a 9-7 record.

► Returning for the Valor men are Christian Michaliszyn (2-0), Jarrett Teel (8-17), James McIlwraith (7-21), Sam Coryell (7-19), Daryl Wong (6-20), Devin Stone (2-8) and Jordan Letterman (2-13).

► The Valor women return First Team All-Conference Ana Bjelica (20-6), Courtney Yates (16-9), Abigail Chaney (16-11), Neely Bridges (14-11), Carly McAtee (12-17), Bethany Overturf (10-6), and Karson Phipps (9-7).

► This season, the Valor men have added newcomers Sidney Dollar (Kyiv, Ukraine), Jacob Grosz (Hudson, Wis.), Andres Robles, Owen Akins (Rolla, Mo.), Bernardo Gatica (Ottumwa, Iowa), and Isaiah Keiler (Green Bay, Wis.). 

► EU's women have added Rachel Drum (Webb City, Mo.), Danecca Heffren (Webb City, Mo.), Sarah Hutchison (Forsyth, Mo.), Alexia Phipps (Lamar, Mo.), and Bethany Reeves (Goodyear, Ariz.).

LOOKING AHEAD

Evangel's women match up with Truman State in the Cooper on Saturday (Feb. 12) at 1:00 p.m. Evangel's men will return to the Cooper on Friday (Feb. 18) to take on Sterling College.

For the latest information on Evangel Athletics, visit Facebook at Facebook.com/EvangelValor, Twitter (@EvangelValor), or EvangelAthletics.com. Fans can also receive updates on their favorite EU teams by downloading the Evangel Athletics Gameday App through the App Store or Google Play.  

—#OneValor—