The Patriot tennis team faces a tough road ahead of them this season. With the hopes of a national tournament appearance, Cumberlands will have to fight many tough battles to come out on top.

In the 2003-2004 season, the men finished in the first round of the NAIA Region XI Tournament with a loss to Lee University. The team returns Fernando Ascencios (Lima, Peru), Alejandro Beiderman (Argentina), Wai Kin Khoong (Malaysia), Felix Koch (Germany/Indonesia), Mitchel Hubert (Hendersonville, TN), Aaron Leftwich (Corbin, KY), and Anthony Un Jang-Yang (Malaysia). After their 8-13 finish, the team hopes to keep up the growth process that they started at the end of last season and turn the maturity into more victories. A factor that will help out the Patriots is Leos Vanzura (Czech Republic) who was ranked 18th by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association along with other newcomers: Ignacio Guerrero (Colombia), Robert Porter (Corbin, KY), and Mike Rudolph (Dayton, OH). NCAA Division II Carson Newman College and #15 NAIA ranked Lindsey Wilson College are just two of the teams that the Patriots will battle in the journey to the Regional NAIA tournament in April. The men’s team received votes in the NAIA preseason rating.

The Patriot women look to have a tough season as well. Returnees Christy Phelps (Fulton, KY) and Veronica Sizemore (Manchester, KY) look to improve on last season’s loss in the first round of the NAIA Region XI tournament and the team’s 8-12 finish. Their schedule looks to be tough with opponents such as the NAIA’s #12 ranked Lindsey Wilson College, NCAA Division II Carson Newman College, and the NAIA Blast Off opponents on March 25-26th. Two key additions who Tan looks to make an immediate impact are freshmen Nikki Dugger (Corbin, KY) and Ashley Shepard (Shelby, OH). The women look to make an appearance in the NAIA tournament and come out on top.

The tennis teams will open their season on February 19th as they travel to Carson Newman College.