COLUMBIA, Mo. - The Mizzou tennis team opens its 2018-19 spring season on Friday, Jan. 18 when the squad hosts in-state foe Saint Louis at 5 p.m. at the Mizzou Tennis Complex. Admission to the match is free.

Under third-year head coach Colt Gaston the Tigers competed in four tournaments in the fall. Overall, Mizzou returns five Tigers from the 2018 spring season and added three newcomers to the squad. 

During the course of the fall season, the doubles tandem of junior Mackenzy Middlebrooks and Ellie Wright went 9-4, advanced to the championship match of the ITA Central Region Championship and earned an invitation to the Oracle ITA Fall National Championships. 

Additionally, freshman Lisa Fukutoku jumped into the national rankings following a strong fall campaign. She enters spring ranked No. 60 in the Oracle ITA National Singles Rankings, the highest ranking for a Tiger since Bea Machado Santos clocked in at No. 36 in the 2016 preseason rankings. Fukutoku went 6-1 in singles action in the fall, including a 1-0 mark against nationally ranked opponents. The Tokyo, Japan, native knocked off No. 46 Lauryn John-Baptist of Arizona State at September's Big 5 Challenge en route a singles flight title at the event, where she was a perfect 3-0. She won her first six matches of the fall before falling to a ranked opponent at the ITA Central Region Championships in October.

Following Friday's match against SLU, Missouri returns to the court next weekend with a home doubleheader on Saturday, Jan. 26. The Tigers host Southeast Missouri State at 1 p.m. before 5 p.m. match against Arkansas.