ST. JOSEPH, Mo. - Missouri Western tennis gets its 2025 season going this weekend at home with matches against William Jewell on Saturday and Augustana on Sunday.

Saturday's match starts at 4 p.m. with Sunday's set to start at 10 a.m. Both will be played at Genesis Health Club in St. Joseph.

Missouri Western enters the season currently ranked No. 24 in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association poll. The Griffons are coming off of a historic 2024 season, going 18-4 and winning the MIAA tournament championship for the first time in program history.

Missouri Western is a relatively young team this season with four freshmen and just one senior. Ellie Messenger is the lone senior, Cristina Granero Boj is the lone junior and Johanna Priedite is the lone sophomore. Granero Boj is currently ranked as the No. 10 singles player in the Central Region.

The newcomers this year are Celia Castaño Malnero, Kyleigha Fenwick, Elena Rey Garcia and Maeva Roguet.

The Griffons were picked to finish fourth out of 10 teams in the MIAA preseason coaches' poll, and will seek their fourth straight berth into the NCAA tournament this year. Missouri Western played a match in the fall, beating Truman State 6-1 this past October at the Noyes Tennis Courts in St. Joseph.

Saturday marks the 10th ever meeting with William Jewell. The Griffons have won each of the last six matches with the Cardinals, including a 7-0 sweep last February.

Augustana looks to be a regional contender again this year, coming off of an 18-5 campaign in 2024. The Vikings lost to MWSU last year in Sioux Falls, 4-3, and then lost to Northwest Missouri State in the first round of the NCAA tournament, 4-1.

Sunday will be the fifth ever meeting with Augustana and the first in St. Joseph since 2021. Augustana's doubles team of Nicole Catherine Dufour and Fernanda Sandoval is currently ranked No. 3 in the Central Region and No. 24 in the country. Dufour is also the No. 15 singles player in the Central Region.