NEWBERG, Ore. -- While many other tennis programs around the conference are just getting their spring seasons started, the George Fox men's tennis team is already in the full swing of things.

The Bruin tennis teams traveled to Idaho for matches against Lewis-Clark State and Idaho on January 25 for a pair of exhibition games, and begin their 2026 slate with games against Portland State and Lewis & Clark on January 31 and February 1. While the early start may be a challenge in some ways for the team, head coach Mitchell Miyashiro is ready for the chance to get a jump start on the season. 

"We'll use these for a benchmark for the season," Miyashiro said, "There are some positives to take out of playing a conference match this early, win or lose. It can help us to really figure out how they need to adjust to the competition in the conference."

While the Bruins got their feet wet with matches in Idaho, the two upcoming matches to kick off their official season will be key for several players. Zach Moore is a reigning All-NWC First Team, and impressed at the Fall ITAs, advancing to the semifinals and nearly downing the 29th player in the nation in Whitman's Artem Manov, losing 7-6, 3-6, 2-6.

Now, Moore has spent an offseason working hard and adjusting to his junior season. Overall, Miyashiro has been impressed with his improvement.

" The best part of his game is how he's improving day by day, week by week to push himself," The Bruins head coach said, "I know that he carries a lot of pressure right now. Playing at the number one spot on the team is not easy. But he's really stepped up, and he's trying to help his teammates also to hold them accountable and keep them on track.

On a team full of juniors and seniors, Miyashiro said Moore has helped take the lone freshman, Aiden Cruz, under his wing. Cruz, a Caldera High graduate who took third place in the OSAA 5A Championships, has adapted to the pace of collegiate tennis, and turns to Moore and his upperclassmen teammates first for advice — something that his head coach appreciates.

"Aiden has done a really good job at being on top of everything, and that's not something you always see in a freshman," Miyashiro said, "Honestly, I love the fact that he goes to his teammates first instead of me. That's what the coaches want. We want them to lean on each other." 

On the flip side of Cruz is a group of four seniors: Ikuho Ebisu, Luis Hernandez, Keita Shoji, and Joseph Vece. While seniors, the entire group enters either their second or third year on the team, their head coach still lauded them for their leadership and improvement.

From Vece, who Miyashiro said had shown great work and effort over the past two years, to Hernandez, who has brought a fire to practices, to Ebisu, who wasn't sure he would play a senior season over the summer but has come into 2026 hungry, to Shoji, who enters his senior year after a junior season where he went 27-10 in singles and doubles play, there is plenty to be impressed about in the senior class.

As for juniors, Moore is joined by two newcomers in Bernardo Martinez and Jayden Lovingfoss. Martinez comes to Newberg from San Diego CC, while Lovingfoss joins after not playing the prior two seasons. Both players have adjusted well to the George Fox tennis culture.

"[They've] done a great job integrating themselves with the team," Miyashiro said, "and put a lot of work into their game. They've come a long way."

In 2025, the Bruins nearly qualified for their fifth straight NCAA Tournament bid, advancing to the Northwest Conference Championship but falling to Whitman, 5-1. Though Whitman may be the favorite to repeat as champions, the Bruin head coach believes his team can step up to the occasion — as long as they believe in themselves.

" When they train for the guy next to them, when they can dig deep for the guy next to them," Miyashiro said, "I think that they're going find they can do amazing things and it's going to be totally freeing."

The Bruins have a gap after their games over the weekend, taking 20 days before their next game. But between those games, they'll have the chance to focus on being a team together. 

And once they do that, who knows what's possible?