Under the guidance of new head coach Todd Mansfield, the Linfield men's tennis program is set to begin the 2025 season in a new era.
With a deep roster of 12 players led by a group of veteran student-athletes, the Wildcats have their sights set on improving on last year's 4-9 record and getting back into Northwest Conference tournament contention.
Mansfield joined Linfield this summer after 17 years coaching high school, preceded by a career in sports television and radio after he finished his own collegiate tennis career at Northwestern University.
In a competitive NWC field and a 2024 losing record in the rearview mirror, Mansfield knows this season will be about how the 'Cats finish, not how they start.
"I'm all about the upswing," said Mansfield on Linfield's upcoming season. "Wherever we start, that's where we start. But I want to finish on the upswing."
"They're proving to me that they're willing to put in the work, time and dedication to become better student-athletes, on the court and in the classroom. The energy is there, the dedication is there, and we'll just have to see how it unfolds."
Linfield will likely be led at the top of the ladder by senior Rogue Stone and junior Brooks Lerfald.
Stone led the Wildcats with an 8-5 No. 1 doubles record, paired with now graduated Seth Lee, and posted a 4-11 record at No. 2 singles on the way to the second second team all-NWC honor of his career.
"I look to Rogue for that leadership by example," said Mansfield. "He hits the ball harder than most players in this league, he can just rifle it and as a lefty, he's dynamic. His hands at net are unbelievable. He can give you that drop shot, he can put it back into the corner, he can explode and overhead at you. He gives everything every point."
Lerfald missed his sophomore season due to injury but made an immediate impact his freshman year in 2023 with a 7-5 singles record and 6-5 doubles mark, including a 3-1 record at No. 3 singles and a 2-2 record at No. 1 doubles.
Holding the first chance to be Linfield's No. 1 singles player this season, Mansfield said Lerfald's "come back in shape with a dedication that I really last saw when I was playing Division I at Northwestern, so he is really excited."
With a change in the NWC's scheduling format, all nine member programs will play each other twice, nearly doubling the total number of matches the Wildcats will play this season. Depth will be key to staying competitive.
"You've got to have those guys seven through 12 ready to go at any particular time," said Mansfield. "I'm all about utilizing depth."
The Wildcats will look to 2024 lineup mainstays in juniors Alexander Rosenquist and Abhi Acharya as well as sophomore Cameron Paulsen to provide stability on the scorecard. Seniors Cody Pickar and Matous Young will be tasked with showing Linfield's leadership and depth at the end of the lineup.
"Some days a guy who might be lower on the ladder is going to play better than the guy that's higher. You have to have the right matchups and the right energy and focus, and these guys have it."
With veterans filling the lineup, a new voice leading the way and a NWC schedule that could allow a multitude of players to grow and shine as the season goes along, the Wildcats are ready for a new era in 2025.
