STARKVILLE – Following a fantastic fall showing, Mississippi State is set to embark on its 101st season of men’s tennis and 10th year under head coach Matt Roberts.
The Bulldogs have 15 home matches scheduled for the spring split between the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre and the Rula Tennis Pavilion. State’s home slate includes hosting ITA Kickoff Weekend as well as three doubleheaders, two of which start off the season next month.
“We are very excited about our schedule this spring and to be able to host ITA Kickoff Weekend in late January is always a privilege,” Roberts said. “Our fan base and Bulldog Tennis Club has grown over the years and we want to thank our fans for always being there for us on big match days.”
The Bulldogs begin the season with a twin bill against Northern Illinois and UT Chattanooga on Jan. 14 followed by another doubleheader against Florida State and Tennessee State on Jan. 19.
Those four matches will take MSU into ITA Kickoff Weekend where the Bulldogs will welcome Florida State, Arizona State and VCU. Mississippi State will meet the Rams while the Seminoles and Sun Devils do battle in the opening round on Jan. 27. A consolation match will be held for the losing teams the next day followed by a championship final for the winners to advance to the ITA National Team Indoor Championships held in New York at Columbia from Feb. 16-19.
The Bulldogs are also going to host North Florida on Feb. 9 before welcoming VCU back to Starkville on Feb. 11. MSU also has a challenging non-conference road schedule to maneuver by travelling to Middle Tennessee, whom the Bulldogs beat for the NCAA Regional Championship in Starkville last season, on Feb. 2 while also trekking to Memphis on Feb. 7 and Tulane on Feb. 25.
“We worked hard on the non-conference schedule and know it will prepare our team for the always challenging SEC portion of the season,” Roberts said. “It’s imperative to find the right balance when scheduling so our team is being pushed and also building our ranking through the current ITA ranking system.”
Mississippi State opens conference action against defending SEC champion Georgia at home on March 3. The Bulldogs also have SEC home dates against Vanderbilt (March 15),…
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