ARDEN HILLS, Minn. - The Bethel University men's tennis team opens MIAC action this Saturday at Concordia College. The Royals were picked to finish seventh by the MIAC coaches in their preseason poll. Bethel opened their season last Friday with a convincing 8-1 win over defending Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference champion Milwaukee School of Engineering.

A full look at the MIAC preview can be found at these links:
MIAC Men's Tennis Preview | Preseason Coaches' Poll | MIAC Playoffs Information | MIAC Men's Tennis Page





Here is a closer look at the 2015 Bethel Royals men's tennis team:

Head coach
• Drew Fernelius (3rd season)
A Year Ago
• 5-4 MIAC (5th place) | 9-10 Overall
 
In the 2014 Postseason
• Lost to No. 4 St. Olaf 6-3
 
Top Returners
• Matt Schull (No. 1 Singles/Doubles, So. | 2014 MIAC All-Conference Singles & Doubles, 14-5 No. 1 singles record, 12-7 doubles record)
• Kolin Kiekhoefer (No. 3 Singles/No. 2 Doubles, So. | 2014 MIAC All-Conference Singles & Doubles, 6-3 MIAC singles & doubles record)
• Luke Palmquist (No. 4 Singles, Jr. | 2014 MIAC All-Conference Singles, 6-3 MIAC singles record)
 
Key Losses
• Kirby Ronning (No. 2 Singles/No. 2 Doubles |2014 Captain)
• Steve Schull (No. 5 Singles/No. 3 Doubles | 7-2 MIAC singles record)
 
By the Numbers
• 13-5: The Schull brothers, freshman No. 1 singles player Matt and senior No. 5 singles player Steve, combined to go 13-5 in MIAC singles play last year. The brothers also combined forces for one doubles match during the spring break trip to Florida and came out victorious.
• 4-1: Bethel was 4-1 at home in 2014.
• 29: Nearly half of the Royals 62 singles victories in 2014 came from freshman. The 29 victories by freshman predominantly came from the No. 1, No. 3 and No. 6 spots in the lineup.
 
Did You Know?
• Kirby Ronning, who graduated last spring and was a captain for the Royals, is now working with State Farm Insurance and is serving as a volunteer assistant coach this year with aspirations of being a college tennis coach.
 
Off the Court
• The Royals team Christmas party consisted of both the men's and women's teams volunteering at Feed My Starving Children together.