Sept. 20, 2006
LAS VEGAS - The UNLV men's tennis program will take a big step up in competition this season as it faces its most challenging schedule in years, including a trip to play the defending national champion.
An eye-popping 15 of the Rebels 21 dual-match opponents in 2007 were included in the final ITA/FILA Rankings in May.
"Our team has been working hard in anticipation of playing such a talent-filled schedule," UNLV fourth-year head coach Owen Hambrook said. "We'll face a lot of ranked teams both at home and on the road in 2007."
The fall season includes select members of the team taking part in the annual ITA Regional championship tournament on Oct. 18-24 at Las Vegas' Stacy Darling Tennis Center. UNLV also will host an individual tournament in early November featuring some players from top programs such as Illinois and Arkansas.
The team season kicks off with Southern Miss coming to the Fertitta Tennis Complex on Feb. 2. UNLV's first road trip the following week will be made up of a stop at the University of San Diego (ranked 37th last year) and NCAA champion Pepperdine (1st) in Malibu.
A clash with Fresno State (46th) is set for Las Vegas before a visit to Arizona State (56th) and Arizona (44th). Then, a key six-match set begins March 12 with Wake Forest (28th) in town. The homestand includes UNLV facing three straight opponents from the powerful Southeastern Conference in South Carolina (41st), Mississippi State (52nd) and Arkansas (22nd). The Rebels annual senior day will take place early this spring with the program's final home date coming on March 20 vs. New Mexico State.
After a final non-conference tilt at USC (54th), Mountain West play opens on March 29 when UNLV takes on BYU (75th) in San Diego. In fact, the Rebels play their entire six-team league slate on the road this season, including visiting TCU (31st) for the first time since the two were members of the Western Athletic Conference in 1998.
"It will be a challenge playing all of our conference games away from home but we are capable of defeating any team in the league," said Hambrook.
The MWC Championship will be held this spring on the campus of Air Force from April 25-28. The NCAA regionals are scheduled for May 11-13 at campus sites to be determined while the round of 16 and individual national tournaments will take place at the University of Georgia from May 17-28.
2006-07 UNLV MEN'S TENNIS SCHEDULE
DATE OPPONENT SITE TIME (PT)Oct. 18-24 at ITA Regional Las Vegas# All DayNov. 3-5 UNLV FALL CLASSIC Las Vegas All Day UNLV, Arkansas, Illinois, Oklahoma, Fresno State, BYU, Fresno PacificJan. 20 at ITA Team Playoff TBA TBAFeb. 2 SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI Las Vegas 1 pmFeb. 3 CAL POLY Las Vegas 9:00 amFeb. 3 MONTANA STATE Las Vegas 12:30 pmFeb. 10 at San Diego San Diego, CA 10 amFeb. 11 at Pepperdine Malibu, CA 1 pmFeb. 16 FRESNO STATE Las Vegas 10 amMarch 2 at Arizona State Tempe, AZ 1 pmMarch 4 vs. Arizona Tempe, AZ 1 pmMarch 12 WAKE FOREST Las Vegas 1:30 pmMarch 14 BALL STATE Las Vegas 1:30 pmMarch 15 SOUTH CAROLINA Las Vegas 1:30 pmMarch 17 MISSISSIPPI STATE Las Vegas 1:30 PMMarch 18 ARKANSAS Las Vegas 11 amMarch 20 NEW MEXICO STATE Las Vegas 1:30 pmMarch 23 at USC Los Angeles 3 pmMarch 29 vs. BYU* San Diego, CA TBAMarch 30 at San Diego State* San Diego, CA TBAMarch 31 vs. Utah* San Diego, CA TBAApril 13 vs. New Mexico* Fort Worth, TX TBAApril 14 at TCU* Fort Worth, TX TBAApril 15 vs. Air Force* Fort Worth, TX TBAApril 25-28 MWC Championship Colorado Springs TBAMay 11-13 NCAA Regional TBA TBAMay 17-21 NCAA Round of 16 Athens, GA TBAMay 22-28 NCAA Indiv. Tournament Athens, GA All Day
*Mountain West Conference Match
Home matches played at Fertitta Tennis Complex
#at Stacy Darling Tennis Complex
