The Spring Hill College men's and women's tennis teams will enter a new era in 2015 as they begin play in NCAA Division II and the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC), but head coach John Dotson is enthusiastic about his teams' prospects. "I look forward to the new challenges this season especially the conference format of round-ups. We get to travel to Columbia [S.C.] and Memphis [Tenn.] this year, so it will be fun to meet the coaches and players of our new conference."

On the men's side, Dotson sees his squad as being very competitive in their new conference home. "Our men should be strong and deep enough to make the adjustments that will be needed this season," he says. "I like the mix of this team. We have a good combination of American and International styles of play and the players have really come together as a team. They are learning about each other and each others cultures."

Junior Alejandro Hastings Oro from Mexico City will start on the No. 1 singles court while junior Sebastian Arias of Dorado, Puerto Rico, and freshman Lars Bajohr of Versmold, Germany, will share time in the Nos. 2 and 3 courts. Senior Daniel Piper of Lake Charles, La., sophomore Martin Jaramillo of Manizales, Columbia, and freshman Ruben Nick Cruz of Foley, Ala., will battle for the Nos. 4-6 spots with junior Joseph Lee Leavitt of Daphne, Ala., freshman Andrew Risley from Ocean Springs, Miss., and walk-on freshman Joshua Scarbrough. "The doubles situation will be very fluid at the start of the year as we work on team chemistry," say Dotson.

Dotson also takes over the ladies' team for the first time in 2015 and admits that this year will be a season of learning as the team makes the change to the new competition. "The women's squad will play hard," he says. "But we are thin on numbers this year and won't have much room for adjustments." In singles play, freshmen Maria Hastings Oro of Mexico City and Elizabeth Peters of St. Louis, Mo., will both make immediate impacts. "We are excited to welcome both Hastings and Peters," Dotson says. "They are nice additions to the team." The freshmen join senior Megan Gietl of Montgomery, Ala., and junior Chandler Burkenstock of Mandeville, La., along with sophomores Allison Gmelich of St. Louis and Kate Sotolongo from Kenner, La.

Spring Hill tennis will face a tougher schedule in 2015, but that is the way Dotson planned it. "I wanted to add some higher competition this year as measuring sticks to see how we've improved and where we need to improve," he says. "It will be an interesting year with the change in conference, but our players are fitting into their roles, so I'm excited to get started."

The Badgers will open the 2015 men's and women's seasons on Friday at 2 p.m. with a conference match versus the Stillman College Tigers at the Mobile Tennis Center.