The Waynesburg University men’s tennis team will kick off the second half of its 2017-2018 season Saturday when it travels to Penn State Behrend. The team competed in four non-conference matches in the Fall semester, finishing 2-2 overall.

Head coach Ron Headlee referred to these matches as tune-up matches, to see where the team will sit coming into the spring.

“I thought we did pretty well in the fall,” Headlee said. “I thought there were a couple more we could have won…but it’s just a tune-up for the season. [Starting the conference action soon] I’m very optimistic about the upcoming season.”

He also said the matches in the fall allowed for some adjustment with placing players in certain positions.

Headlee, who has coached Waynesburg’s wrestling team since 2008, is in his second year as the tennis head coach. He will be traveling with the tennis team to its match at Penn State Behrend Saturday, despite the wrestling team competing in the NCAA Division III Central Regionals Feb. 23-24.

With the two sports overlapping, Headlee said he will be the last one to say the task is easy. He said during the overlap he devotes specific time every day to both sports, making sure to spend an equal amount of time with both teams.

Last season, the Yellow Jackets finished seventh in the conference. This season Headlee believes the biggest aspect the team needs to work on is consistency.

“We need to be more consistent,” Headlee said. “That’s the area I want to work on with them the most. We are not staying in points long enough.”

Headlee said there are several returners who will be key members of the team this year. Junior Jonah Cooper is the number one singles player, and teams with junior Josh Denham as the top doubles team. Cooper has been a leader for the team in recent years and is someone who Headlee refers to as steady.

Headlee acknowledged the return of senior Andy Brunette as a significant addition. Brunette, who played as a freshman before stepping away from the sport for two years, will return with experience.

“[Brunette] will definitely help us out with depth,” Headlee said. “He’s a good player and we’re excited about having him back. Him and [senior] Adam [McKnight] will compete as the number two doubles.”

Brunette said he returned hoping to have one more successful season as a student-athlete.

“I decided to come back because it’s my senior year, and I really missed competing on a team and just playing in general,” Brunette said. “So, I figured that it would be nice to play competitively one last time and try to strive for a successful season as an athlete.”

Brunette also said he missed the atmosphere.

“Tennis is also very therapeutic to me,” Brunette said. “It helps get my mind off of things and it’s nice to be active in that atmosphere.”

Sophomores Tanner McKnight and James Zeremenko and junior Brian Drake will also be returning to the team.

“I’m very excited,” Brunette said on the season. “We have a solid starting lineup and I know that if we play every point like it’s our last, we will have a more than successful season.”

The team will compete in eight conference matches and several non-conference matches during the 2018 season. The 2018 Tennis PAC Championships will be Friday, April 27, and Saturday, April 28 at the Pennbriar Athletic Club in Erie, Pennsylvania.