Sept. 17, 2009
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.–The University of New Mexico men’s tennis team announced its 2009-10 schedule today and begins a four-event fall season this weekend as one of 14 teams competing in the Midland Collegiate Invite in Midland, Texas. The spring, dual-season schedule is packed with eight home matches and 11 opponents who finished 2009 in the ITA Top 75 rankings, including No. 2 Ohio State.
“We certainly have our work cut out and, with this schedule, can hold up with any one in the country. We will be tested day in and day out which is excellent for what we are trying to do,” head coach Alan Dils said. “We are excited to get the season underway. We have a young team, but a focused team, with a brief, but solid fall schedule.”
The Lobos are sending seven of their nine players to Midland this weekend before taking part in three October events, two hosted by the ITA and the annual UNM Balloon Fiesta Invite at the newly-named Linda Estes Tennis Complex.
Six Lobos will attend the ITA All-American Pre-Qualifying at the University of Tulsa. Teams are allotted spots in the draw according to their final ranking from the previous season. Should any Lobos advance past the Oct. 3-4 pre-qualifying, the qualifying events take place Oct. 5-7. After the UNM Balloon Fiesta Invite from Oct. 9-11, UNM will head to Las Vegas, Nev., for the ITA Fall Regional.
The Lobos return to the courts to kick off the dual season at home on Jan. 23 against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. UNM will meet Ohio State, who finished ranked second in 2009, in Columbus, Ohio, on January 30 as part of the ITA Indoor Expansion Event. The Lobos will meet either Tulsa or Notre Dame in the second part of the event.
After two home matches against Middle Tennessee State and Denver, UNM has seven consecutive road matches, including a battle against in-state rival New Mexico State and a rematch with Minnesota, who defeated the Lobos in the opening round of the 2009 NCAA Team Tournament.
The Lobos begin conference play on April 1, hosting Utah before five of the next six matches present conference foes with Boise State sandwiched in between. The Boise State match as well as BYU and TCU will also be home matches for the Lobos. UNM takes on UNLV, San Diego State and Air Force on the road.
The Mountain West Conference Tournament will be hosted by UNLV in Las Vegas, April 29-May 1.
The Lobos finished 2009 ranked 45th, posting their second 20-win season, en route clinching the 2009 MWC Tournament to earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2004. At 20-6 overall, UNM posted its best winning percentage since the 1984 season. For 2009-10, New Mexico returns five players and welcomes four freshmen.