ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Navy women's tennis program released its 2022 spring dual schedule on Tuesday that includes 18 home matches along with five Patriot League contests.

"Last year was challenging for all involved on a lot of levels," said head coach Keith Puryear. "We are looking forward to this spring and being able to have a bit more of a normal schedule than we had last season. Looking around the Patriot League and our competition in the region, every team has added new pieces and has improved. There are challenges abound that we will face this season and how well we do will be predicated on our consistent work ethic. We are looking forward to the competition and growing together as a team."

Puryear, now in his 14th season at the helm of the Navy women's tennis program, has led the Midshipmen to a 233-82 all-time record through the program's first 12 seasons of varsity play. The Mids are also 43-11 in Patriot League regular season matches and 166-41 in home dual matches under the direction of Puryear and assistant coach Alessandra Pedergnana who is also in her 14th season with the program.

Over their 2021 fall tournament schedule, the Midshipmen were led the by the pairing of Jillian Taggart (Jr., Fair Oaks, Calif.) and Emily Tannenbaum (Fr., Commack, N.Y.) who combined to record 29 singles victories along with the pairing totaling a 6-3 mark in doubles play. Also finishing with double-digit win totals this fall at 10 singles-victories apiece was the duo of Sylvia Eklund (Fr., Bellevue, Washington) and team captain Meghana Komarraju (Sr., Vienna, Va.).

Navy is slated to open its spring schedule on January 22 as its welcomes St. Francis and St. Bonaventure to the Tose Family Tennis Center at the Brigade Sports Complex. Following its season-opening matches, the Mids will hit the road January 29 as they take on Richmond followed by beginning a run of four-straight home matches on January 30 against Villanova and Morgan State.

The four-match homestand concludes for Navy on February 5 as it welcomes St. Joseph's and Georgetown to Annapolis prior to hitting the road February 12-13 for a pair of matches against George Washington and Delaware, respectively.

The Midshipmen then begin their second-longest home stretch of the season on February 19, playing the first two of five-straight home contests against George Mason and Brown. The homestand continues for the Mids of February 27 with matches against Fairleigh Dickinson and Dartmouth before rounding out the five-match home slate with a contest against Drexel on March 5 prior to hitting the road later in the day to take on Towson.

Navy returns home March 12 for a match against Temple before traveling to Orlando for its annual spring break trip March 12-19, opponents and start times for the trip are to be determined.

Following their spring-break competition in Orlando, the Midshipmen return home for a final tune-up before the start of Patriot League play March 24 against Old Dominion.

The first league match of the 2022 season for the Mids comes on March 26 as it welcomes Lehigh to the Brigade Sports Complex followed by an additional home contest against Bucknell on March 27.

The Midshipmen continue league play on April 2 as it welcomes rival Army to Annapolis, marking the first time the annual Star Match has been hosted by Navy since the 2018 spring season.

The Black Knights earned the Star last season in a contest played at West Point, but the Midshipmen bounced back with a dramatic, 4-3, win over Army in the Patriot League Tournament semifinals. Over the last 10 meetings in the series, the two service academies have played to an even 5-5 record.

Following its Star Match against the Black Knights, Navy rounds out a six-match homestand with a contest against Howard on April 9. Prior to their contest against the Bison, the Midshipmen will honor their three-member senior class of Komarraju, Katreina Corpuz (Sr., Ewa Beach, Hawai'i) and Kacey Moore (Sr., Wellington, Fla.).

Navy hits the road on April 10 as it completes a home-and-home series with Old Dominion prior to returning to Annapolis for a Patriot League match against Loyola on April 13. The 2022 regular season comes to an end for the Mids on April 16 as they travel to take on Boston University.

The 2022 Patriot League Women's Tennis Championship is set to be held at the Ulrich Varsity Tennis Courts in Bethlehem, Pa. beginning Thursday, April 21 and concluding Sunday, April 24. All Patriot League women's tennis programs will compete in the event.