SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The University of Sioux Falls Tennis Team (8-6, 3-3 NSIC) is set to host Minnesota Crookston (2-8, 0-7 NSIC) on Friday, April 1 at 7 pm and Bemidji State (6-4, 3-4 NSIC) on Saturday, April 2 at 7 pm -- both matches will be played at the Huether Family Match Pointe in Sioux Falls, S.D. 

Last weekend, the Cougars took a 6-1 win over Northwestern College on March 25, before dropping a 7-0 decision to the University of Nebraska Omaha on March 27.

During the spring break trip, the Cougars finished 3-2. The Cougars upended Marywood, 5-1 and also had had a 5-2 win over Shippensburg and a 6-1 decision against Seton Hill. USF lost to Saginaw Valley State, 7-0 and Millersville, 5-2.

Prior to the spring break trip, the Cougars, directed by veteran head coach Kevin Grebin and assistant coach Kevin Plank, split a pair of NSIC matches with Minn. State Moorhead (W, 5-2) and the University of Mary (L, 5-2) at the Huether Family Match Pointe in Sioux Falls, S.D. 

Breaking it down – Look at USF Tennis 
The Cougars, which had a 7-6 overall mark with a 7-4 league finish in 2021, is a veteran team with a number of talented newcomers in the fold. USF was picked to finish seventh in the NSIC Preseason Coaches Poll. After recording a second straight winning season (7-6, 7-4 NSIC) and the fifth in the DII era in 2021, USF has won at least five matches in the nine tennis seasons in the NSIC. Of that total, USF has six winning NSIC records. 

At 8-6 this season with a 3-3 league mark, USF has a 42-39 mark in singles with a 17-19 league mark. In doubles, USF is 23-19 overall and 11-7 in league.

Breakdown - Singles - 
No. 1 - Megan Quandt – 4-4 overall, 2-2 NSIC
No. 2 -- Talia Janos – 5-7 overall, 2-4 NSIC
No.3 -- Danielle Thorfinnson – 4-7 overall, 2-4 NSIC
No. 4 -- Joelle Thorfinnson – 5-7 overall (4-1 at No. 3, 1-5 at No. 4, 0-1 at No. 2), 2-4 NSIC
No. 5 -- Emily Thinnsen – 6-6 overall, 3-3 NSIC (2-3 at No. 4, 4-3 at No. 5)
No. 6 -- Katelyn Nesheim – 9-3 overall (1-0 at No. 4, 2-2 at No. 5, 6-1 at No. 6), 5-1 NSIC
No. 6 -- Peyton Forney, 3-3, 1-1 NSIC
Emily Applegate, 1-1; Annika Randt, 2-0; Briana Holm, 2-0, Rhianna Cantine, 0-1; Ella Schmidt, 1-0

Doubles -- 
No. 1 -- Janos/Quandt -- 5-2 overall, 3-0 NSIC; Forney/Janos, 0-2 overall, 0-2 NSIC; Janos/D. Thorfinnson, 1-0 overall, 1-0 NSIC
No. 2 -- D. Thorfinnson/J. Thorfinnson -- 5-3 overall, 3-1 NSIC; Thinnsen/J. Thorfinnson, 1-0 overall, 1-0 NSIC; Forney/J. Thorfinnson, 0-1 overall, 0-1 NSIC
No. 3 -- Nesheim/Thinnsen -- 4-4 overall, 2-3 NSIC; Forney/Nesheim, 1-0 overall, 1-0 NSIC
Applegate/Forney, 2-2; Cantine/Schmidt, 0-2; Holm/Randt, 0-1; Nesheim/Quandt, 1-0; Randt/Schmidt, 1-0; Quandt/J. Thorfinnson, 1-0; 

Overall in doubles, Janos is 6-4 with a 4-2 league mark, while D. Thorfinnson is 7-3 with a 4-1 league mark. J. Thorfinnson is 7-4 overall with a 4-2 league mark. Thinnsen is 5-4, 3-3 in the NSIC, while Nesheim is 6-4 overall and 3-3 in league. Quandt stands 8-2 overall and 3-0 in the league. Forney is 3-5 with a 1-3 NSIC mark. Also for USF – Schmidt is 1-3; Randt, 1-2; Holm, 0-2; and Cantine, 0-2.

Quick Season Review – NSIC matches

Cougars register consecutive 5-2 wins over UMD and SCSU for 2-0 league start
In the 5-2 win over SCSU, the Cougars were led by senior Megan Quandt, who was a combined 4-0 in singles and doubles this weekend, registered a 6-3, 6-1 win over Arisa Kashima of SCSU. She also took a straight set win over Mallory Luthin of UMD, 6-2, 6-4 and paired with Talia Janos for a 6-3 win at No. 1 doubles. Janos also recorded a straight set win in singles with a 7-5, 6-3 decision over Paz Aoki. Also against SCSU, USF also had wins in singles at No. 3 and No. 6. Danielle Thorfinnson registered a 6-3, 6-1 win at No. 3 singles over Johana Brower of SCSU to move to 3-0 (2-0 NSIC) on the season. Katelyn Nesheim picked up a 7-6 (7-5), 6-2 win over Samantha Fitzpatrick at No. 6 singles. Both Thorfinnson and Nesheim also had wins  in straight sets against UMD. Danielle Thorfinnson and her sister Joelle Thorfinson earned a win over UMD, 6-1 but loss to SCSU, 6-4 to fall to 3-1 on the season. At No. 6, Nesheim had two straight wins in straight sets against UMD and SCSU. Nesheim and Thinnsen recorded consecutive 6-4 wins last weekend. 

Cougars take first losses of season, 5-2 against MSU & 6-1 against SMSU
The Cougars finished 2-4 in singles play and had a 1-2 mark in doubles but the Mavericks picked up the 5-2 win. At No. 5 singles, Thinnsen earned a hard fought win over Taylor Julsrud by scores of 7-6 (7-4), 3-6, 1-0 (10-7). Also earning a win for USF was Nesheim at No. 6 singles by a score of 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.  USF had some tough setbacks in singles as Danielle Thorfinnson fell, 6-4, 2-6, 2-6 while Talia Janos at No. 2 also lost in three sets by a count of 6-2, 1-6, 2-6. In doubles, USF had a win by the No. 2 doubles team of Danielle Thorfinnson and Joelle Thorfinnson by a 7-5 score. However, MSU won the other two doubles by scores of 6-0 (Talia Janos/Peyton Forney) at No. 1 and 6-2 at No. 3 (Nesheim/Thinnsen). Against SMSU, the Cougars were defeated in five of the six singles matches and two of the three doubles contests. USF had a big day from senior Joelle Thorfinnson who won at No. 3 singles and also teamed with her sister, Danielle Thorfinnson, to win at doubles. In the No. 3 singles, J. Thorfinnson took a 6-2, 1-6, 6-1 decision of Maja Louisa Harck. At No. 2 doubles, she and D. Thorfinnson took a 7-6 decision over Harck and Joana Indio Reis. Overall, noted Grebin, USF had some solid performances in the loss including at No. 1 singles where Talia Janos dropped a 6-4, 7-5 decision. At No. 5, freshman Katelyn Nesheim lost for the first time this year in a 7-6, 6-2 setback to Cora Delich. Also the No. 1 doubles team of Janos and Peyton Forney lost by a 7-5 score to Kristina Vuksanovic and Courtenay Leonard, 7-5. 

USF splits first home weekend, 5-2 win over MSUM & 5-2 loss to U-Mary
With four wins in singles and a doubles sweep, the USF Tennis Team opened their home schedule with a 5-2 victory over MSU Moorhead on Friday (Feb. 25) at the Huether Family Match Pointe. Moving up to No. 1, Talia Janos (2-4, 2-3 NSIC) took a 6-3, 6-1 win over Emma Andersen of MSUM. She also teamed with Danielle Thorfinnson to take the No. 1 doubles match, 7-6 (7-4) in the first match they have partnered in doubles. USF also had a win at No. 2 doubles as Emily Thinnsen and Joelle Thorfinnson stand 1-0 after a 6-3 win. At No. 3 doubles, Katelyn Nesheim and Peyton Forney also teamed up for a first time and came away with a 6-3 win. At No. 3 singles, seniorJoelle Thorfinnson captured a 6-4, 6-0 win over Miranda Griechen. At No. 4 singles, USF freshman Emily Thinnsen dropped a tough decision to Tia Dykema, 6-0, 3-6, 6-4. However USF won at both No. 5 and No. 6 singles. At No. 5, freshman Katelyn Nesheim had a straight set win of 6-2, 6-4 over MSUM's Madison Bell. At No. 6, Peyton Forney (1-1, 1-1 NSIC) won by rallying for a 4-6, 6-0, 7-5 decision. Freshman standouts Emily Thinnsen and Katelyn Nesheim both recorded wins in singles but the USF Tennis Team dropped a 5-2 match to U-Mary on Saturday (Feb. 26) at the Huether Family Match Pointe. At No. 1 doubles, USF took a 6-4 win as Megan Quandt and Talia Janos combined to move their record to 4-0 on the season with a 3-0 league mark. At No. 2 doubles, USF's Peyton Forney and Joelle Thorfinnson lost a 7-5 decision while Thinnsen/Nesheim fell at No. 3 doubles, 6-1. In the singles play, Janos lost to Ilona Freitag, 7-6 (8-6), 6-0 while Megan Quandt fell at No. 1 by a 6-3, 6-1 decision to Chloe Chong. At No. 4, Emily Needham turned back USF's Joelle Thorfinnson, 6-2, 6-0.

USF splits weekend, 6-1 win over Northwestern & 7-0 to UNO
At No. 1 Talia Janos moved to 5-6 on the season with a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Julia Kutz of Northwestern. A sophomore, Janos also teamed at No. 1 doubles with senior Megan Quandt for a 6-2 win over Julia Kutz/Julia Anderson. USF also had wins at No. 3, 4, 5 and 6 singles. At No. 3 Joelle Thorfinnson improved to 5-6 on the season with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Wynne Vandersall. At No. 4 singles, freshman Emily Thinnsen defeated Ainslie Robinson, 6-2, 6-1 to improve to 6-5 on the season. Another freshman, Katelyn Nesheim , took a 6-2, 6-0 win over Jessica Wilson as she improved to a team-best 9-2 on the season. Junior Peyton Forney played at No. 6 and came up with another win in a 6-1, 6-1 decision over Emma Montenegro. At No. 2, sophomore Danielle Thorfinnson dropped to 4-7 as she lost a 6-2, 2-6, 1-0 (7-10) tiebreaker to Julia Anderson. J. Thorfinnson and D. Thorfinson cruised to a 6-0 win at No. 2 doubles against Vandersall/Robinson. At No. 3 doubles, Thinnsen and Nesheim earned a 6-0 win over Jessica Wilson and Grace Twelmeyer as they sit 4-4 on the season.
UNO Results –
Singles -
No. 1 – Megan Quandt (USF) defeated by Madison Gallegos (Omaha), 6-1, 6-1
No. 2 – Talia Janos (USF) falls to Natalie Lorentz (Omaha), 6-0, 6-1
No. 3 – Joelle Thorfinnson (USF) lost to Keegan Van Pelt (Omaha), 6-2, 6-2
No. 4 – Emily Thinnsen (USF) defeated by Lillian Tiemeyer (Omaha), 6-0, 6-0
No. 5 – Katelyn Nesheim (USF), lost to Brooke Covington (Omaha), 6-1, 6-0
No. 6 – Peyton Forney (USF) falls to Addison Miller (Omaha), 6-4, 6-4

Doubles
No. 1 – Kelly Colby/Alexia Di Giulio (Omaha) over Megan Quandt/Talia Janos (USF), 6-1
No. 2 – Natalie Lorentz/Rachel Osborn (Omaha) defeated Joelle Thorfinnson/Danielle Thorfinnson (USF), 6-3
No. 3 – Brooke Covington/Justine Linscott (Omaha) over Emily Applegate/Peyton Forney(USF), 6-0

Grebin is in his 22nd year at USF --
Kevin Grebin is in his 22nd year as the head coach for the University of Sioux Falls Women's Tennis Team.  Under his direction, Grebin has led the program through a DII transition and into success in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. A 2019 SD Tennis Hall of Fame inductee, Grebin has been involved with tennis for over 50 years.  A Sioux Falls native, Grebin was a standout player and later served as an instructor before taking over the USF program. Grebin, whose program has advanced to the NSIC Tournament four straight years, owns an overall record of 85-78 at the DII level, including 57-46 as a member of the NSIC. USF has a 2-6 record in NSIC Tourney play and reached the tournament semifinals twice (2015-16, 2018-19). During USF's time in the NSIC, Grebin's teams have recorded five winning seasons with at least five league wins in all nine years. His teams have had winning NSIC seasons six times including four straight years. His teams have seven wins in the NSIC four times (2021, 2018, 2016, 2015). USF had its best program mark of the DII era in 2016 in a 12-8 campaign which including a 7-4 league mark.