PASADENA, Calif. --- After a weekend sweep of Idaho and Western New Mexico, the schule amps up a notch. Well, more like notches.
The Lobos take on No. 10 UCLA in Pasadena in the opening match of the ITA Kickoff Classic. The Bruins are 1-0 on the year, owning a 7-0 win over UC Riverside. The match takes place at 2 p.m. Mountain Time (1 p.m. in Pasadena) on Friday, January 23. The Lobos will play either Pacific (1-0) or UC Santa Barbara (1-0) at either 11 a.m. or 3 p.m., pending Friday's results.
The Lobos swept Idaho and Western New Mexico with a 5-2 win over Idaho and a 6-1 win over Western. The opening matches were split, with the Idaho match being played indoors, UNM's first indoor match since the 2024 season. The afternoon match was played outside at McKinnon Family Tennis Stadium, as the weather was much warmer.
Dario Ciobotaru played his first matches at No. 1 singles since his freshman year, and he swept both, including a 6-0 third-set over Idaho. Additionally, JC transfer Alberto Perez went 4-0 on the weekend, sweeping a pair of singles wins at No. 4 and taking two wins in doubles at No. 1. His doubles teammate Jakub Prachar also went 4-0, winning his two singles matches at the No. 2 slot.