Milwaukee City Wire

The Milwaukee women's tennis team is set to begin its 2025 season this weekend with two matches. The Panthers will start their spring schedule on the road against Bradley on Saturday, followed by a home match against Providence on Sunday.

The match against Bradley will take place at Parkside Fitness in Pekin, Illinois, beginning at 11 a.m. On Sunday, the Panthers will host Providence at River Glen Elite in Milwaukee, starting at 10 a.m. Admission to the home game is free.

Expectations are high for the Panthers and their head coach Mark Goldin as they enter his second year. Last season, the team finished with a 9-12 record and was seeded fourth in the Horizon League Tournament but faced an early exit. This year, they have been ranked third in the Horizon League preseason poll.

Goldin has deep roots in Milwaukee's tennis community. He became head coach of the Panthers in August 2023 after successful tenures at Cardinal Stritch University and Elite Sports Club in Mequon. His previous stint with the Panthers from 2009 to 2012 saw significant improvements in team performance.

Milwaukee holds an 11-9 advantage over Bradley historically. Their last encounter resulted in a victory for Milwaukee after Bradley had won four consecutive matches between 2015 and 2020. Bradley ended last season with an overall record of 8-16 under head coach Matt Tyler, who is now entering his twelfth season.

Providence and Milwaukee have not faced each other since March 1996 when Providence won decisively. The Friars lead their all-time series against Milwaukee with two victories.

The current roster for Milwaukee includes players from seven countries, featuring five returning athletes and three freshmen. Nadiia Konieva leads the returners with impressive records from last season.

In preparation for this spring season, Milwaukee participated in three fall tournaments across Minnesota, Illinois, and Ohio. Emilia Durska and Nikola Nikolajeva excelled in singles play during these events.

Following this weekend's matches, Milwaukee will face Wisconsin and Marquette next week as part of their continued campaign for success this season.