2022 RECAP
 
UT Tyler tennis enjoyed another strong season in 2022 for a program that has built incredible standards over its history. On the men's side, they rolled their way to the NCAA Tournament Round of 16 for the first time in the Division II era in their first season of eligibility. For the Patriots women, they competed and won their first ever LSC tournament match against Angelo State before falling in the LSC tournament semifinals and narrowly missing out on their own South Central Region selection.
 
PLENTY OF RETURNERS
 
For both sides of the Patriots tennis program, returning production will be a major influence on the 2023 season. The Patriots women will return five players to the 2023 roster, all five of which competed in the LSC tournament. Among those returners will be senior Chloe Dix, who brings a strong doubles record back to the fold, and the pair of Brooklyn Ross and Dnyanada Patil, who both have strong records on the singles side.
 
For the UT Tyler men, they have been led by the fearsome duo of Joaquin Bianchi and Gonzalo Fernandez Gil, both of whom have qualified back to back seasons for the ITA Cup. Bianchi was the LSC Tournament MVP as well as an All-LSC First Team Singles and Second Team Doubles player. Fernandez Gil was selected as an All-LSC First Team Singles and Doubles player for the 2022 season.
 
THE RETURN OF COACH CHRIS BIZOT
 
Head coach Chris Bizot makes his return to UT Tyler for the 2023 season after spending the previous six seasons as the head coach for Angelo State's women's program. Bizot is one of the most successful tennis coaches in UT Tyler history, earning 19 ASC Coach of the Year awards and holding a record of 400-153 between the two teams. Bizot led the Patriots to nine straight NCAA Division III tournament appearances and collected 16 ASC Championships along the way.
 
SETTING THE STAGE
 
UT Tyler's women will kick off the season with a road matchup against Central Oklahoma on Friday afternoon. The Bronchos are 0-1 so far in the young season with a loss to Division I foe North Texas back on February 4^th. Last season Central Oklahoma enjoyed a spectacular year, going 24-2 while making a run all the way to the NCAA Division II national championship match before falling to Barry by a score of 4-1.
 
Both teams will then stay in Edmond, Oklahoma to take on Northwest Missouri State in a neutral site contest on Saturday. The women's team for the Bearcats have not played a match yet this spring, but during the 2022 season they went 16-9 on the year before falling to Central Oklahoma in the MIAA tournament semifinals.
 
The men's team for Northwest Missouri State has also not played a match yet this season, but they finished the 2022 slate at 14-6 and made an appearance in the NCAA Central Region Tournament before falling at the hands of Southern Arkansas.
 
NEXT UP
 
Following this weekend's slate, the Patriots will head to Dallas, Texas for a neutral site meetup with Harding before then heading to the Natural State for matchups with Ouachita Baptist and Southern Arkansas on February 19-20.