BALTIMORE – First-year Coppin State head men's and women's tennis coach
Will Riley has released his 2016 schedule for both of his teams.
Both of the Coppin State tennis teams will play the majority of their matches at home. The men's team will be at home for seven of its 13 matches and the women's team is home for nine of its 17 matches.
"We have a very intriguing schedule ahead of us," said Riley. "It will be tough and competitive from the start. I am comfortable that we are prepared to make headway and put teams on notice that my young men and women will compete hard and battle for every point."
Coppin State's 11 non-conference opponents hail from seven different leagues (American Athletic, Missouri Valley, Northeast, Metro Atlantic Athletic, Colonial Athletic, Big South and Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association).
"I think the match against Temple will be an important one for us," added Riley. "They're a great Division I program. It will be one of those matches that shows you where you are and where you want to be as a team."
Coppin State will travel to Philadelphia on Mar. 29 for their match against Temple.
The 2016 season will begin when the Lady Eagles head to Dover, DE for a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) match Delaware State on Feb. 13. It will be Coppin State's only match in the month of February.
The men's team will begin its season in Annapolis against Navy and Southern Illinois-Edwardsville on Mar. 5.
The 2016 Coppin State tennis home opener will be match between St. Francis on Mar. 12. Both of St. Francis' tennis teams lost in the NEC tournament semifinals in 2015. Both tennis teams will welcome Howard on Mar. 22 for their MEAC home openers, a team Coach Riley is looking forward to competing against.
Both teams will conclude MEAC play at home against Maryland Eastern Shore on Apr. 16.
On the men's side, the Eagles return sophomore
Gavin Lewis, who led the team with four singles victories. The Coppin State men qualified for the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament for the fourth straight season in 2015.
Meanwhile, on the women's side, the Lady Eagles return seniors
Carentxa Goede,
Ashley Milo and
Miranda Taylor. All of whom Riley feels are tough competitors and have improved their play heading into the 2016 season.
The MEAC will host the 2016 Men's and Women's Tennis Championship April 21-23 at the Folkes-Stevens Tennis Center on the campus of Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. The tournament will feature the top four teams from the northern and southern divisions for the three-day tournament.
"Our goal is finish in the top half of MEAC for both of our teams," said Riley. "We want to standup and show that we can be a top three team in this league."
