With both of his teams traveling to this weekend’s MAC championships, NIU tennis coach Pontus Hiort is a busy man.

The second-year head coach will simultaneously guide the men’s team at Western Michigan in Kalamazoo, Mich. and the women’s team at Ball State in Muncie, Ind. The No. 4 seeded men will take on No. 5 Toledo at 2 p.m. today while the No. 7 seeded women face No. 10 Akron.

After the resignation of long time women’s coach Laura Scott prior to the fall season, Hiort jumped at the opportunity to head both programs.

“It’s an opportunity that doesn’t come along too often,” Hiort said. “It was a joint decision made between me and the athletic department, and it just worked out.”

Hiort’s workload doubled as he scheduled men’s and women’s practices back-to-back as well as prepared both teams for weekend matches. But despite his occasional 12-hour work days, Hiort might take the challenge once again next year.

“We’ll see,” Hiort said. “That’s something I wouldn’t be opposed to. It’s been a really fun year, even with the added responsibility. We shall see what the future brings.”

As they have done all year, first-year assistants Jarod Camerota and Eva Trujillo-Herrera will fill the voids for each team this weekend when Hiort is absent.

“I want to be with both teams,” said Hiort, who is currently with the men’s team but may drive for women’s Day 2 action. “It’s a tough decision, and I try my best to give both teams the same attention. But the distance between Muncie and Kalamazoo is not too great.”

On the men’s side of the championship, the Huskies face Toledo, a team they defeated 5-2 two weeks ago.

NIU’s Willy Gali carries his 20-game winning streak into the match at No. 1 singles. Gali’s latest wins at Ball State and IP-FW finally garnered the senior his first MAC Player of the Week award, announced on Tuesday.

After falling to Western Michigan 4-2 in last year’s MAC final, fellow senior and No. 2 singles player Erick Martinez said the team is feeling good about its chances.

“Ball State and Western Michigan have more pressure on them because they’re the highest seeds,” Martinez said. “They’re expected to win, so hopefully we can advance and pull off the upset.”

In the women’s draw, the Huskies’ first-round opponent is Akron. When the two teams last faced each other in Akron on April 9, NIU swept the Zips 7-0. After earning a first-round bye last year, the Huskies were defeated 4-0 by Eastern Michigan.

The Huskies are led by seniors Cassie Drake and Ivonne Andrade at No. 1 and 2 singles.

With a total of five seniors on both teams, Martinez said they feel the pressure to win.

“Especially for Willy and me, it’s the last time we’re going to be out on the court,” Martinez said. “So we’re going to go all out because you might not be back to play the next day.”