The Iowa men’s tennis team is getting ready for its double home-opener to begin the spring season after a successful fall season.

The Hawkeyes open things in their first duals at the Hawkeye Tennis & Recreation Complex on Saturday against Western Michigan at 12:30 p.m. followed by Marquette at 6 p.m.

Iowa is coming off one of its most successful seasons, which included the highest-ranked win in program history, beating No. 14 Dartmouth. Additionally, the Hawkeyes return six letter-winners from last year’s team, including five starters.

Both the Broncos and the Golden Eagles had strong finishes themselves. Western Michigan enters the season the 2019 MAC favorite in the men’s tennis preseason poll voted by the coaches. It also won both the regular-season conference championship as well as the MAC Tournament championship.

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The Golden Eagles are also coming off a championship, finishing last spring 17-7 and their first Big East title in program history.

Iowa head coach Ross Wilson enjoys the Hawkeyes’ deep roster, with a veteran lineup and some talented freshmen to fill in.

“I think this is probably from top-to-bottom our deepest team and most talented team I’ve ever coached,” Wilson said. “How we will come together, how we will end up playing, and the level we will play at, though, I’m not sure.”

One of the talented freshmen is Oliver Okonkwo of Berkshire, England. He began his Hawkeye career this fall, finishing 9-6 in singles and 5-2 in doubles with sophomore partner Will Davies.

“The fall season for me was pretty good,” Okonkwo said. “I’m definitely going to use what I learned from the matches I competed there into our dual match this weekend.”

Among the veterans, junior Kareem Allaf should set the tone. Last fall, he became just the third Hawkeye ever to capture the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Central Regional singles championship, the first since Tyler Cleveland earned it in 1999.

The rare feat even earned himself Iowa’s Male Athlete of the Month honors for October. After building on that impressive championship, Allaf finished No. 73 in the national fall rankings. 

“I feel like we can go far with the guys we have,” Allaf said. “Everyone is motivated, everyone wants to win, and everyone is just super-competitive and wants to win every match they play.”

Iowa will attempt to outdo its 2018 season, when it won 13 dual matches at home.