Carson-Newman Tennis Teams Open 2010 Season on Saturday at King College

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - The Carson-Newman men's and women's tennis teams will open the 2010 season on Saturday at King College.

The matches are scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. in Bristol, Tenn.

The Lady Eagles are coming off a successful 2009 campaign in which they won the program's first-ever South Atlantic Conference Tournament title and advanced to the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional before falling to eventual national champion Armstrong Atlantic.

Expectations will be high for the Lady Eagles in 2010 with several key pieces returning from last year's squad, including senior Amanda Bartlett (Powder Springs, Ga.), who is a two-time SAC Player of the Year. Bartlett will anchor the top of the lineup in singles and doubles.

Senior Elizabeth Sneed (Kingsport, Tenn.), junior Taryn Cappadona (Kennesaw, Ga.) and sophomore Kylie Elliott (Maryville, Tenn.) round out the top four players in the Lady Eagle lineup. Sneed was a first team All-SAC performer in 2009, while Cappadona was named MVP of the SAC Tournament.

Junior Charli Thomas (Norman, Okla.), sophomores Melissa Sneed (Kingsport, Tenn.), Kate Walker (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.) and Stephanie Goode and freshmen Tiffany Delias (Morristown, Tenn.) and Megan Wilson (Maryville, Tenn.) will also be expected to contribute for the Lady Eagles this season.

Goode returns from a one-year hiatus and will provide experience to the lower part of the lineup, while Delias and Wilson are expected to make an immediate contribution either in singles or doubles.

Eagles Hope to Bounce Back in 2010

The Eagles are looking to rebound this season after a disappointing 2009 campaign and will rely on a mixture of veterans and young talent to get things turned around.

Senior Jack Harvie (Snellville, Ga.) and juniors Trent Slagle (Knoxville, Tenn.), Chris Acker (Knoxville, Tenn.) and Adriano Kira (Brazil) will all need to have a solid season for the Eagles to bounce back. Sophomore Rudolfo Schwarz (Brazil) will also be counted on to have a strong season.

Freshmen Derek Holdway (Woodstock, Ga.) and Paul Birdsong (Woodstock, Ga.) are talented newcomers who have the potential to make an immediate impact for the Eagles in 2010.

Freshmen Greg Center (Brentwood, Tenn.), Dalton Moore (Gate City, Va.), Chad Sheppard (Gate City, Va.) and Tyler Catlett (Jefferson City, Tenn.) will provide depth for the Eagles.