FORT WORTH, Texas – Coming off a successful 2022 season, the Northwestern State tennis team aims to pick up right where it left off in the regular season, as it starts its 2023 season on the road against TCU.

The match begins Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Bartzen Varsity Courts.

It is the first match for NSU, while TCU begins its season Friday afternoon at home against UTSA.

The Lady Demons won the 2022 regular season conference title but fell short in the conference tournament, but head coach Jonas Brobeck continues to have the focus on his team.

Brobeck expresses how important it is to have challenging matches early in the schedule.

"We are just excited to compete against a great program and see where we are," Brobeck said.

Tjasa Klevisar leads a group of five returners for the Lady Demons.

Klevisar, a sophomore from Kranj, Slovenia, is becoming more comfortable as she heads into her second season as a Lady Demon.

"You get used to it," Klevisar said. "How everything works…and the teammates supports you."

In her freshman campaign, she was second team All-SLC singles at the No. 2 position. She has become more comfortable in her abilities this season than she was last year.

The Lady Demons have embraced a recruiting class of three members to blend with five veterans.

Freshman Sofi Garcia is coming to NSU from Argentina. She represented her country in the South American in her age category. She was ranked in the top 25 among all female players in Argentina and top three in her age group.

Renske Ubachs is a newcomer from the Netherlands that was in the top 100 women's tennis national rankings. While in high school she was a five-sport athlete.

Paige Wise, a transfer from Francis Marion University in South Carolina, had an undefeated season as a freshman in 2022. She won conference player of the year, southeast region rookie of the year and was a nominee for athlete of the year in the Carolinas Southland conference.

By receiving the three freshmen in the fall, the Lady Demons have had the opportunity to look at how the team works and manage matters within the program.

"They fit so well into the culture we try to bring and the team chemistry is there," Brobeck said. "They've been doing a phenomenal job."

Gig Kanaphuet, one of the five returners, expresses that becoming a leader is challenging but also exciting.

"I show them what our culture is, what we do and how we prepare for matches," Kanaphuet said.

Kanaphuet finished the 2022 season 4-4 in singles at No.6.

Along with Klevisar and Kanaphuet, Ayu Ishibashi, Mariella Minetti and Dorota Szczygielska all return.

Ishibashi and Minetti both went 6-0 in singles and First-Team All-SLC Singles and posted impressive 14-2 and 15-3 marks overall, respectively.

In doubles, Klevisar and Minetti formed an impressive No. 1 doubles team, going 12-5 and 4-0 in Southland competition.

While Szczygielska was out the entire 2022 season due to injury, she compiled a 9-2 mark in doubles in 2021 and has a 14-5 record overall.

"If we prepare, if we compete and do the daily stuff well, we are going to be very successful," Brobeck said.

Following the trip to Fort Worth, the Lady Demons head home to the Jack Fisher Tennis Complex for the home opener Jan. 28 at 1 p.m.