WTEN Hosts Xavier, Butler To Conclude Regular Season

The Marquette University men's and women's tennis teams will host their respective Senior Day festivities on Saturday, April 16 at Helfaer Tennis Stadium when both programs welcome Butler in the regular-season finale.

First serve for the women's team against the Bulldogs is 11 a.m. and the men's squad hosts Butler at 3 p.m. CT. Xavier visits campus on Friday, April 15 for a doubleheader to begin a busy weekend of BIG EAST competition. Following the weekend's action, seeding will be determined for the conference tournament April 22-24 in Cayce, S.C.

The men's team will honor seniors Shaddy Khalafallah and Fran San Andres prior to first serve, while the lone senior on the women's roster is Natalija Popovic.

Khalafallah is a four-year letter winner and member of the BIG EAST All-Academic Team. He claimed the program's Academic Award in 2018-19. The doubles specialist has accounted for over 20 victories during his Marquette career and has seen action in 15 dual matches this season.

He graduates in May with a bachelor's degree in physiology and will be applying to medical school this cycle. He has earned multiple recognitions on the Dean's List and BIG EAST All-Academic Team during his career and has been published by several cardiology journals.

A First Team All-BIG EAST selection in 2020-21, San Andres has collected over 100 singles and doubles victories during his career. The four-year letterwinner was 12-2 in singles last season and posted a 12-4 mark at No. 1 doubles. He claimed the program's Most Improved Player Award as a freshman in 2018-19.

A two-time BIG EAST All-Academic team and Dean's list honoree, San Andres will graduate in May with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering.

Popovic, an all-league candidate this season, was named All-BIG EAST First Team and BIG EAST Rookie of the Year as a freshman. She has collected over 125 singles and doubles victories during her career and is 13-4 at No. 1 singles in 2021-22.
A four-time member of the BIG EAST All-Academic Team, Natalija has already earned a bachelor's degree in public relations and will complete her master's in communications in May. She concluded her undergraduate career with a 3.85 GPA and was a member of the Dean's List.