Women's Tennis Opens Spring Campaign with Saturday Trip to Rutgers

Bucknell (2-1, 0-0 PL) at Rutgers (0-0, 0-0 Big Ten)
When: Saturday, Jan 21 – 4 p.m.
Where: East Brunswick Racquet Club – East Brunswick, N.J.

Bucknell at a Glance
• The Bison kick off the spring portion of their schedule at Rutgers on Saturday. They're 2-1 (0-0 PL) after playing three dual matches in October. Bucknell also participated in the Bucknell Invitational, the West Point Invitational and the Loyola Invitational in the fall.
• Bucknell went 12-10 (3-3 PL) during the 2021-22 season, securing its highest win total since 2018-19. The Bison ended up falling to Loyola in the quarterfinal round of the Patriot League Championships, 4-2.
• The Bison graduated their lone All-Patriot Leaguer, Daniela Bellini, in the spring. They welcomed two freshmen in the fall and enter the spring season with eight total on the roster.
• Juniors Kate Novak and Tyne Miller are serving as team captains this season.
• Sophomore Anna Lajos led the Bison with an 8-4 singles record in the fall, including a 2-1 mark in duals.
• Bucknell plays its first seven matches of the spring on the road before hosting its first home match on Feb. 19.
• Bucknell is under the direction of fourth-year head coach Tammy Cecchini, who owns a 25-19 record during her time in Lewisburg.
• Cecchini was previously the head coach at Valparaiso from 2015 to 2018; she spent the 2014-15 season with Valpo as an assistant coach.

Category Leaders
• Overall Singles Wins: Anna Lajos (8)
• Dual Match Singles Wins: King and Lajos (2)
• PL Dual Match Singles Wins: N/A
• Overall Doubles Wins: King and Platt (7)
• Dual Match Doubles Wins: King and Lajos (3)
• PL Dual Match Doubles Wins: N/A

Rutgers at a Glance
• The Scarlett Knights will also open their spring season on Saturday after competing in four fall tournaments. Rutgers last competed at Dartmouth's Big Green Tournament in early November.
• Rutgers finished the 2021-22 campaign 5-18 (0-11 Big Ten). Its season came to an end with a 4-3 loss to Purdue in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament.
• The Scarlett Knights brought back four members of last year's squad, welcomed two freshmen and added two transfers. Like Bucknell, they have no seniors on the team.
• Sophomore Jackeline Lopez led the Scarlett Knights with a 9-3 singles record during the spring. She was followed closely by junior Amira Badawi, who went 8-3 over the four tournaments.
• Rutgers head coach Hilary Ritchie is in her seventh season with the program and is 39-75 overall during that time.

A Look Ahead
• The Bison are back on the road for a match at Boston U. on Saturday, Jan. 28. It will be the team's first Patriot League match of the season.