CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Austin Peay State University men's tennis team opens its spring season with a 3 p.m., Saturday match against Belmont, before then facing Oakland City at 2:30 p.m., Sunday. Both matches will be played at the Evansville Tennis Center in Evansville, Indiana.

Director of Tennis and head men's tennis coach Ross Brown enters his 11th season at the helm of the program and looks to build off the team's five wins last spring in its inaugural ASUN Conference campaign.

The Governors' 2022-23 team features a quartet of returners and as many freshmen.

Senior Thiago Nogueira is APSU's lone returning upperclassman from a season ago. He earned two wins in singles play in the fall.

Sophomores Hogan Stoker, Tom Bolton and Giovanni Becchis also return to the Govs' lineup this spring. The trio combined for nine singles and 15 doubles wins last spring and five singles wins in APSU's four fall tournaments.

APSU's four freshmen of Sota Minami, Aeneas Schaub, Javier Tortajada and the newly-signed Bodi van Galen are set to make their spring debuts in Friday's match against the Bruins.

Minami led the team with five singles win in his fall campaign, while Schaub and Tortajada won three and one singles matches, respectively. van Galen is APSU's newest member, having signed earlier this week.

Scouting the Bruins

2023 Record: 1-0 (0-0 MVC)

The Bruins 2023 Season: Belmont opened its inaugural Missouri Valley Conference spring season with a 5-2 win against Lee, Jan. 22, at the Ensworth Tennis Center in Nashville, Tenn.

2022 Record: 14-5 (4-0 OVC)

2022 Season Result: After earning the 2022 Ohio Valley Conference Regular Season title, the Bruins defeated fifth-seeded Eastern Illinois, 4-0, in the tournament's semifinals before falling to Tennessee Tech, 4-1, in the championship match

All-Time Series: 11-6 Belmont

Last Meeting: The Governors earned dropped their OVC opener to the Bruins, 6-1, April 2, 2022. Frederic Schlossmann picked up APSU's lone point in the loss, winning in straight sets from the No. 1 singles position.

Scouting the Mighty Oaks

2023 Record: 5-0 (0-0 RSC)

The Mighty Oaks 2023 Season: While Sunday's match is the first time Oakland City has taken the courts this spring, it still enters the match with a 5-0 record after earning five dual victories in the fall.

2022 Record: 10-10 (4-1 RSC)

2022 Season Result: The Might Oaks' 2022 season came to an end following a 4-2 loss to Northwestern Ohio in the first round of the NAIA Tournament last May.

Last Meeting: The Governors earned their second win of the 2022 seaon when they defeated Oakland City, 5-2, Feb. 2 in Clarksville, Tennessee.

Follow the Govs on Social

For news and updates ahead of the Governors' inaugural ASUN Conference season, follow the men's tennis team on Twitter (@GovsMTN), Instagram (@GovsTennis) and Facebook (Austin Peay Tennis).