BEAUMONT, Texas – A new season is getting under way for Lamar University as the men's tennis team will kick things off Saturday with a doubleheader in Dallas. The Cardinals will officially get the season underway at 2 p.m. when they open the year against No. 7 (ITA Top 25 Poll) Mississippi State at 2 p.m. followed by a 5 p.m. contest against host SMU. All matches will take place at the Styslinger/Altec Tennis Complex.
 
The Cardinals enter the 2026 season looking to bounce back from a 2025 campaign that saw them post a 14-13 (.519) record but just a 1-4 (.200) mark in Southland Conference play. Lamar had a very young team last season with only two seniors and one junior (who was in his first year with the program).
 
Lamar returns the heart of its roster from last season to go along with some talented additions. The returning letterwinners include Fabian Anthin (sophomore), Stefano Chappuis (junior), Guy Dagan (senior), Louis Drapeau (sophomore), Lukas Hamacher (sophomore) and Leon Nickel (junior). That group includes two returning all-conference selections from last season in Chappuis and Drapeau.
 
The newcomers include Axel Bergh (freshman), Maxwell Lindstedt (sophomore transfer from Nicholls), Vicente Monge (freshman) and Rintaro Shukuda (freshman).
 
The 2026 season marks the start of the 16^th year for head coach Scott Shankles.
 
The two matches in Dallas are two of four consecutive on the road to open 2026. The Cardinals will host their home opener Saturday, Jan. 31^st against Rice (11 a.m.).