After a successful fall season in which they performed strongly at several invitational tournaments, the Ducks are now set to kick off their indoor tennis schedule at home on Jan. 16.
The winter indoor schedule offers a different format from the fall: Oregon will compete head-to-head against schools in scored dual meets that will count against each team’s record, instead of competing in individually scored tournaments as they did in the fall.
The Ducks will have their hands full with a strong PAC-12 schedule that features three teams ranked in the top 25 of the ITA preseason rankings. Within those matchups, they will face some of the most well-rounded players in the country.
Players to watch:
MacKenzie Mcdonald — Junior, UCLA
The reigning PAC-12 Player of the Year, Mcdonald is not just the top player in the conference, but also one of the best in the country. He was ranked in the top 15 nationally for the entirety of the 2014-15 season and entered the 2015 fall campaign ranked third in the ITA preseason rankings. Despite not playing during the fall season, Mcdonald is still coming off the momentum of a sophomore spring season in which he went an impressive 29-5 overall and 20-4 against ranked opponents.
Tom Fawcett — Sophomore, Stanford
Fawcett burst onto the scene last year and made an immediate impact for a Cardinal team that finished the spring season ranked 15th in the nation and earned its first PAC-12 title since 2010. He was named PAC-12 Freshman of the Year and went 14-7 in dual matches while competing primarily in the no.1 spot for a Stanford team that relied heavily on three freshman.
Daan Maasland — Senior, Oregon
Maasland is the most talented overall player for an Oregon group that has the potential to steal the PAC-12 title from Stanford and USC. A threat on both the singles and doubles sides, Maasland earned second team All-PAC 12 honors last year and will provide senior leadership for the Ducks. His unorthodox playing style will make him a difficult matchup for almost anybody as he competes in the Ducks’ no.1 spot this season.
David Wilczynski — Sophomore, Stanford
Not quite as highly touted as the aforementioned PAC-12 standouts, Wilczynski is capable of emerging as one of the top players in the conference this year. He earned All-PAC 12 honorable mention honors last spring and showed that he is capable of winning in high pressure situations by capturing the ITA Regional Championship this past fall.
Simon Stevens — Sophomore, Oregon
Stevens finished the 2015 spring season with a near-perfect 15-1 record while competing in the no.3, no.4, and no.5 spots for Oregon. He was tops on the team in winning percentage, and will look to carry more responsibility this season as he settles into the no. 2 spot for the Ducks. An All-PAC 12 honorable mention selection last season, Stevens will combine with Maasland to form a doubles duo that is 60th in the ITA preseason rankings and as good as any pair in the conference.