The tennis teams will be looking to the upcoming season as a year of improvement after a disappointing season in 2013.

“We’ve played better than our record shows,” said head coach Brice Bishop. “We lost a lot of matches 5-4, and if we had a few go our way, our record would have been much better.”

The women’s tennis team placed three players on the all-conference team last year.

“The women are coming off three years where we have been pretty good,” Bishop said.

Replacing first team all-conference player Mackenzie Bishop will be a challenge, he said.

“We’ve lost a lot of our top-end players the last couple of years,” Bishop said. “We’re going to rely heavy on seniors Madison Patey and Bruna Viera to carry a big load for us this year.”

Last season Viera was named to the Gulf South Conference second team.

“I think we have a great chance to get to the conference championship this year,” Viera said. “We just have to keep improving every day.”

Patey stressed effort and attitude are two of the biggest keys to success.

“I think anything is possible,” Patey said. “Terrible season or great season it goes back to attitude and effort.”

In last year’s conference tournament the Lions advanced to the second round before being knocked out by Valdosta State University.

The women’s team starts play this year at the UNA tennis complex and will be host to the University of West Georgia Saturday, Feb. 1 at 1 p.m.

The men’s team is bringing back all but two players from a year ago.

“We have a lot of experience, so that shouldn’t be a problem,” Bishop said.

The men’s team will look to Alieksia Kavalenka, Geon Dechoz, Benjamin Poire and Max Drupel to carry the bulk of the singles load this season.

“These four guys will be my top four players as of right now,” Bishop said. “But they’re going to battle it out to see exactly who ends up where.”

While last year’s season did not go the way the Lions hoped it would, they bring back much-needed experience to help lead the way this year, Bishop said.

“I expect some good things out of these kids this year,” Bishop said. “They’ve got to stay focused and be tough.”

Bishop emphasizes toughness as the ultimate key to success for his team.

“We’ve got to be tough,” Bishop said. “When you play tennis, you’re going to stay nicked up and beat up, but you’ve got have the mental and physical toughness to overcome it.”

The Lions took an early exit out of the GSC conference tournament last year, falling to the University of West Alabama in the first round.

“We feel like we can get to regionals,” said senior Alieksei Kavalenka.

“You never know what’s going to happen — just go out there and play every match as hard as you can and see what happens.”

The men’s season will be underway Sunday, Feb. 2 when they travel to Birmingham to face the University of Alabama-Birmingham. Match time is set for 1 p.m. at the UAB tennis complex.