Illinois State prepares for Redbird Invitational

Image courtesy of goredbirds.com

Story by Carter Gette

NORMAL Ill.- Following a great showing at the ITA-All American Invitational in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the Redbirds men’s tennis team will look to bring the action back to Bloomington-Normal for the weekend. Good weather and a positive team outlook are two things we are expected to see in the forecast. Many of the top Redbird players are getting set for their singles and doubles matchups as the contest will begin Friday, October 8th, and will conclude on Sunday afternoon.

Head Coach Mark Klysner is extremely excited about the opportunity his players are going to get this weekend.

On Wednesday afternoon, Klysner stated “Last year we didn’t have a fall season, so it’s been nice to play a couple of events already. For the guys, this is the favorite tournament of the year, getting to play at home. The team does quite a bit of traveling so any chance to get out in front of a home crowd is outstanding.”

The Illinois State squad has seen some success this year, however, Klysner knows that the team can always improve. When speaking about what the team needs to improve on, he believes that confidence is the principle that the group needs to embrace for this tournament. Klysner wants his players to dominate and “be that presence and show that they are at that next level”. This is easier said than done, but he is sure his athletes can handle the challenge.

Klysner is especially enthusiastic about the three new athletes on the roster this season. Although some of them may not get a lot of playing time this weekend, Dominic Cuchran, Arvid Hjalte, and Zane Kohrs are the athletes that have “transitioned very well” to this Illinois State roster. These players, along with the rest of the Redbird team are hoping to see great results throughout the remainder of the season.

The Redbird Invitational will begin on October 8th and will feature competition all weekend.