SEATTLE – New Husky Head Coach Rahim Esmail won’t have to wait long to bring the Dawgs to his old stomping grounds. Washington was picked for the Lexington, Ky. regional for next season’s ITA Kickoff Weekend, so the Huskies will be competing where Esmail was a standout from 2001-04.
The Kickoff Weekend serves as the qualifier for the ITA National Team Indoor Championships, which UW hosted this past February, but which will be held in Champaign-Urbana, Ill. in 2023. Fifteen teams host four-team regionals, and the winners of each region advance to Illinois for the 16-team championship.
Eligibility for the Kickoff Weekend Draft was based on 2022 year-end ITA rankings, with the Dawgs finishing 39th. Kentucky finished No. 7 in 2022 so was chosen as a host site.
The Huskies will play Notre Dame on Jan. 27 in the Kickoff Weekend opener. The Fighting Irish ended last year ranked one spot above UW at No. 38. The Wildcats will first play No. 66 Liberty. On Jan. 28, the winners of the two matches will meet for the chance to go on to Illinois, and the losers of the first round matches will play a consolation match.
2023 ITA Kickoff Weekend
Lexington, Ky.
Friday, Jan 27
(1) Kentucky vs. (4) Liberty
(2) Notre Dame vs. (3) Washington
Saturday, Jan. 28
Championship and Consolation Matches
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