Northwest Wayne News

The Wayne State University women's tennis team is preparing to host the University of Findlay for its home opener. The match is scheduled for Saturday, February 15, at noon and will be held at the Doris J. & Donald L. Duchene, Sr. Athletic Facility on Wayne State's campus.

The University of Findlay comes into this contest with an impressive 4-0 record for the spring season. The Oilers have already faced three members of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) this year, securing victories against Saginaw Valley State (7-0), Grand Valley State (5-2), and Ferris State (6-1).

Findlay's team is led by Jeff Westmeyer, who is in his seventh season with the program and fifth as head coach. Under his leadership, the Oilers have made three NCAA Midwest Regional appearances and achieved an 18-6 record during the 2022-23 season, marking a historic number of wins for the program. That season also saw Findlay winning its first Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) tournament championship.

In their previous encounter last year, Wayne State secured a narrow victory over Findlay with a score of 4-3. Anais Ruyssen from Nantes, France played a key role by winning both her doubles match (6-1) and singles match (4-6, 7-6, 7-5) in the No. 1 position. Additionally, Malak Arafat from Alexandria, Egypt; Martyna Szpakowska from Gdansk, Poland; and Shanice Weekes from London, England all won their singles matches to contribute to Wayne State's win.