The tennis courts may still be snow-covered, but that does not mean anything different for Eastern tennis. After a break for the winter, Eastern’s tennis teams are ready to dominate the courts in their spring 2026 campaign.
Starting with the men’s side, fall 2025 was very successful for the Eagles. They went 3–0, defeating Rutgers–Camden, Penn State Abington and Cairn University in dominant fashion. In September, the team traveled to King’s College to compete in the King’s College Tournament, which the men handled impressively. Overall, it was a highly successful fall season for the tennis team, one they hope to build upon moving forward.
“We had a great fall season where we took care of business when we needed to. I think that gives us a good base of confidence going into the spring, knowing that not only can we win our matches when we step on the court but we expect to win our matches. We play some tough teams to start the spring season but I truly believe that will help prepare us for conference play and take the MAC by storm,” said head coach Harrison Bitzberger.
The men’s team features a mix of returning and new players. Seniors Tiger Winston and Jeff Day are eager to showcase their abilities one final time. Day shared his thoughts on the upcoming spring season.
“I think collectively, as well as for myself, there can be improvement in execution. We have been in some very competitive matches and if we can execute in tight situations, we will have great success,” said Day.
First-year players Zachary Sprung, Toby Sallee and Stephen Dottoli are also looking to make an impact on the program for years to come.
The men will open their spring season on Saturday, March 14 at Lebanon Valley College with the match scheduled for 12 p.m.
On the women’s side, the team finished 1–1 in the fall and enters the spring with a strong and balanced roster. Like the men, the women’s team features a solid combination of new and returning players ready to continue building Eastern’s tennis program.
“We have a lot of returning players with plenty of match experience ready to help us keep improving on the progress we have made throughout their college careers,” said head coach Harrison Bitzberger.
The women will also open their spring season against Lebanon Valley College on Saturday, March 14.
Both teams feature seniors who have played a significant role in shaping Eastern tennis into what it is today. Coach Bitzberger shared that he is especially excited to watch the seniors complete their college careers as they began their freshman seasons the same year he started his head coaching tenure.
“This group of young men and women have meant a lot to me and helped take our program from somewhat of an unknown to establishing a culture of competing as hard as possible in every aspect of being a student-athlete. We will truly miss them but we are extremely excited to send them off with a great final season,” said Bitzberger.
Be sure to head out to the tennis courts this spring to support your Eastern Eagles.
