ANDERSON, S.C. - Entering 2015 with one of its youngest rosters in program history, Anderson University women's tennis looks to bounce back after finishing last season with its first under .500 record since joining the South Atlantic Conference prior to the start of the 2011 season, as the Trojans' season commences on Feb. 1.

The Black and Gold closed the 2014 season with an 8-9 overall record and a 7-4 mark in SAC action. The seven-win conference season earned AU the fifth-seed, as its season was cut down in the opening round of the SAC Tournament to fourth-seeded Newberry, 5-2. The opening round setback marked the first time since joining the league the Trojans failed to advance to the semifinals in the annual tournament.

This season, Anderson will face the loss of Avery Owens, who played five singles matches at the No. 1 position a season ago. For her efforts last season, Owens was named to the All-SAC Second Team Singles list and the All-SAC Second Team Doubles squad with fellow senior, Karen Ching. Ching was also named to the All-SAC Second Team Singles list after closing the year with an even 8-8 record, including six victories at the No. 1 spot.

With last season's spring season behind them, the Trojans put together one of the most memorable fall seasons in program history, as sophomore Rebecca Bruning and freshman Ivey Welborn posted three victories at the Southeast Regional Small College ITA/USTA Championships in late September, with the tandem's lone loss coming against the fifth-seeded duo from Armstrong.

With the success at the fall tournament, Bruning and Welborn were ranked No. 22 in the national Preseason Intercollegiate Tennis Association Division II Doubles Rankings, marking the highest preseason ranking by a Trojan pair under head coach Joey Eskridge.

Last season, Bruning joined Owens on the All-SAC Second Team Singles list, as she closed the campaign with a 13-3 singles record, including a perfect 10-0 mark in conference matches while playing at the No. 3 position. In doubles, Bruning was matched up with teammate Lindsay Gregory and posted five conference wins at No. 2.

Gregory is slated to be the lone senior for the Black and Gold, as she has been one of the most consistent players under Eskridge. Gregory has recorded double-figure wins in the singles round in every season of her collegiate career, including a 10-5 record in 2014. For her career, Gregory has claimed 36 singles wins and 28 doubles victories. This season, Gregory looks to remain consistent in the middle of the AU lineup.

Also returning to the lineup are juniors Alexandra Ebner and Nikkola Wichenko. Ebner has posted 12 singles victories in two seasons with the Trojans, including an eight-win season in 2014. Wichenko, who transferred to AU last season, polished off the 2014 season with an eight-win season, headlined by a 7-3 record in SAC matches.

Welborn, Bruning's doubles partner, comes to Anderson as one of the most highly-touted recruits under Eskridge. The freshman was a member of the T.L. Hanna Class 4A State Championship team a season ago, as she entered the singles state tournament as the No. 3 seed. Following her prep career, Welborn was ranked within the top-10 for the state of South Carolina.

Fellow newcomer, sophomore Mairead Cleary, will look to make an immediate impact on the court as she comes to the Upstate from Division I Oral Roberts where she played at both the No. 5 and No. 6 positions. Cleary and Welborn are two of the team's five newcomers on the roster this season, as freshmen Rebecca Galloway, Abigail Gregory and Carolina Lima could find some time on the court right away for the Black and Gold. The four newcomers will compete with returners Kayla Bishop and Lauren Howard for the final spots in the lineup.

Anderson opens its season on Feb. 1 when it heads to Columbia College for a 1 p.m. start. Two days later, the Trojans begin their home schedule with Division II newcomer, Southern Wesleyan, at 3 p.m. On Feb. 8, AU commences its SAC schedule with a home match against Coker, who the Trojans swept, 9-0, a season ago.

A couple of key dates AU is looking towards is March 7 when its travels to defending SAC Tournament champion, Tusculum, and March 19 when it visits Newberry, a team who knocked the Trojans off twice in 2014.