#15 Midwestern State (0-1) vs. #21 Nebraska-Kearney (4-0)
Friday, Feb. 24, 2017 | 2 p.m.
MSU Tennis Center | Wichita Falls, Texas

#15 Midwestern State (0-1) vs. #23 St. Mary's (3-2)
Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017 | 11 a.m.
Southlake Tennis Center | Southlake, Texas

WICHITA FALLS, Texas – After a two-week break from competition, Midwestern State returns to action Friday and Saturday for a pair of matches against two top-25 teams in No. 21 Nebraska-Kearney and No. 23 St. Mary's (Texas).
 
The Mustangs play host to the 21st-ranked Lopers in their home opener Friday at 2 p.m. at the MSU Tennis Center while heading to Southlake Saturday for an 11 a.m. matchup against a South Central Region opponent in St. Mary's at the Southlake Tennis Center.
 
MUSTANGS REMAIN AT NO. 15 IN NATIONAL POLL
- Midwestern State appeared in the top 15 in the country in the 11th-straight national poll Wednesday, coming in at No. 15 in the Oracle/ITA Men's Division II Team Rankings
- The Mustangs stayed put at 15th after ranking in the same spot in the initial rankings of the 2016-17 season back in November
- MSU tops the South Central Region rankings, leading three other top-25 teams in the region in No. 23 St. Mary's, No. 24 Western New Mexico and No. 25 St. Edward's (Texas)
 
A LOOK AT THE MUSTANGS
- Midwestern State is currently 0-1 on the season following a 6-1 defeat to the 23rd-ranked team in Division I, TCU, on Feb. 7 in Fort Worth 
- Senior Ramon Toyos is ranked fifth in Division II after claiming the ITA South Central Region singles title and finishing fourth at the ITA Oracle Cup last fall
- In 2016, the Torrelavega, Spain native posted a 14-9 record at No. 2 singles to help lead the Mustangs to a national quarterfinal appearance
- Another veteran returning for the Mustangs in 2017 is senior Chris Norrie, who recorded a 13-9 mark competing mostly at No. 3 singles last season
- Sophomore Dillon Pineda led MSU in dual wins with a 15-6 record in 2016 after ending the season playing at the No. 4 line
- Sophomore Dylan Hall is another returner for the Mustangs that competed at the No. 6 position later in the season to finish with a 9-7 dual record
- Midwestern State sports a region-best five players ranked in the top 20 in the South Central Region in Toyos (1st), Hall (11th), Norrie (13th), junior transfer Vasudev Vijayaraman (16th) and Pineda (20th)
- In doubles play, Toyos and Pineda are ranked ninth nationally and second in the region following a championship appearance at the ITA South Central Regional
- Hall and freshman Angel Palacios come in fifth in the regional rankings after a semifinal showing in the fall while the duo of Chris and Denney Norrie rank 10th in the region
 
TOYOS EYEING 100TH CAREER WIN
- Entering his senior season, Ramon Toyos needs just five more wins to reach 100 career dual victories
- In three seasons, the Torrelavega, Spain native has compiled a 49-19 singles record and 46-24 doubles mark to rank 13th on the all-time wins list with 95 victories
- Toyos can become the 11th Mustang to reach the 100-win plateau this season with former teammate Kyle Davidson reaching 100 career wins in 2016

SCOUTING THE LOPERS
- Nebraska-Kearney is 4-0 on the season with three wins coming back in September against South Central Region opponents
- The Lopers are ranked 21st in the national rankings and fourth in the Central Region following a 19-4 season and trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2016
- Senior Mohab El Zanaty is ranked seventh in the Central Region with a 2-1 record playing at No. 2 singles for the Lopers
- Sophomore Alvaro Arias also ranks in the top 10 in the region at No. 9 with a 4-0 record playing at the No. 4 position
- Junior Joey Richards and senior Justin Nguyen are undefeated on the year with Richards sporting a 3-0 record at No. 3 for 12th in the region and Nguyen coming in at 4-0 playing at No. 5 for 15th
- Junior Georges Wakim carries a 3-1 record at No. 1 for UNK for 18th in the regional rankings
- In doubles, Nguyen and Richards are 2-1 at the top spot for 5th in the Central Region while El Zanaty and Wakim hold a 3-0 mark at No. 2 for 10th in the rankings
 
SCOUTING THE RATTLERS
- St. Mary's is 3-2 in 2017 with a 1-0 record against Division II competition
- The Rattlers come in ranked 23rd in the country and third in the South Central Region following a 14-12 season and NCAA Tournament appearance in 2016
- Senior Michael Maciel is 2-2 on the season playing at No. 1 and 2 singles to rank 41st nationally and fourth in the region
- Freshman Alex Joseph sports a 2-1 record playing at the bottom of the lineup for the Rattlers for 15th in the region while sophomore Jose Antelo comes in 18th in the rankings with a 1-4 record playing at No. 1 and 2
- The duo of senior Adam Dockery and freshman Jeremiah Gonzalez rank fourth in the region in doubles with a 3-2 mark at the top spot while Maciel and Antelo are 3-1 competing at the No. 2 line for seventh in the rankings
 
LOOKING AHEAD
- Midwestern State travels to Bolivar, Mo., to face No. 12 Northwest Missouri State and No. 19 Southwest Baptist (Mo.) next weekend at the John A. Bryant Tennis Center
- MSU squares off against the 12th-ranked Bearcats Friday, Mar. 3 at 1 p.m. while taking on SBU Saturday at noon