Wildcats Open 2017 Season at Vanderbilt
1/14/2017 8:52:00 AM | Men's Tennis
EVANSTON, Ill. – No. 13 Northwestern kicks off the 2017 regular season on Sunday when it travels to Nashville, Tenn. to take on Vanderbilt at noon.
The Wildcats are looking to build on last year's record-breaking 26-win season with a sixth-straight NCAA Tournament appearance, and the journey starts with a stern non-conference test.
Last season, the Wildcats defeated the then-No. 33 Commodores 4-3 in Evanston. This year rankings extend to just 25 spots, but Vanderbilt is coming off its 15th NCAA appearance last spring.
Northwestern is led by senior tri-captains, Konrad Zieba, Sam Shropshire and Strong Kirchheimer, who are all returning All-Big Ten selections.
Zieba was a unanimous All-Big Ten selection last year and reached as high as No. 8 nationally after collecting 14 wins over ranked opponents. Shropshire won over 20 matches for the third year in a row.
Kirchheimer is coming off a 30-win season and is ranked No. 26 to start the year in the individual rankings after winning the ITA Midwest Region title in the fall. He competed at the ITA National Indoor Championships and was a member of the U.S. team at the Master'U BNP Paribas International Collegiate Team competition.
The Wildcats also return sophomore Ben Vandixhorn who won 21 matches as a freshman and posted the ninth-highest single season winning percentage in program history (.778).
Projected freshman starter Dominik Stary would make his first collegiate start on Sunday. Stary opened his career in the fall by winning the Big Ten Singles Tournament by taking six matches in a row in six straight sets.
Scouting Vanderbilt
The Commodores have one player ranked nationally with junior Daniel Valent at No. 97. Valent was first team All-SEC and ranked as high as No. 34 last season. Sophomore Cameron Klinger was an ITA All-American last season as a doubles player and was on the All-SEC second team.
Starting Strong
The Wildcats are 19-1 in their opening match of the season, dating back to 1997. The lone loss came against North Carolina State in 2015.
All Time Series
Northwestern is 4-6 all time against Vanderbilt, but has won the last two matchups. Both matches were decided 4-3.
The Wildcats are looking to build on last year's record-breaking 26-win season with a sixth-straight NCAA Tournament appearance, and the journey starts with a stern non-conference test.
Last season, the Wildcats defeated the then-No. 33 Commodores 4-3 in Evanston. This year rankings extend to just 25 spots, but Vanderbilt is coming off its 15th NCAA appearance last spring.
Northwestern is led by senior tri-captains, Konrad Zieba, Sam Shropshire and Strong Kirchheimer, who are all returning All-Big Ten selections.
Zieba was a unanimous All-Big Ten selection last year and reached as high as No. 8 nationally after collecting 14 wins over ranked opponents. Shropshire won over 20 matches for the third year in a row.
Kirchheimer is coming off a 30-win season and is ranked No. 26 to start the year in the individual rankings after winning the ITA Midwest Region title in the fall. He competed at the ITA National Indoor Championships and was a member of the U.S. team at the Master'U BNP Paribas International Collegiate Team competition.
The Wildcats also return sophomore Ben Vandixhorn who won 21 matches as a freshman and posted the ninth-highest single season winning percentage in program history (.778).
Projected freshman starter Dominik Stary would make his first collegiate start on Sunday. Stary opened his career in the fall by winning the Big Ten Singles Tournament by taking six matches in a row in six straight sets.
Scouting Vanderbilt
The Commodores have one player ranked nationally with junior Daniel Valent at No. 97. Valent was first team All-SEC and ranked as high as No. 34 last season. Sophomore Cameron Klinger was an ITA All-American last season as a doubles player and was on the All-SEC second team.
Starting Strong
The Wildcats are 19-1 in their opening match of the season, dating back to 1997. The lone loss came against North Carolina State in 2015.
All Time Series
Northwestern is 4-6 all time against Vanderbilt, but has won the last two matchups. Both matches were decided 4-3.
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