MTSU Men’s Tennis Releases 2016-2017 Schedule

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Middle Tennessee men’s tennis and head coach Jimmy Borendame released the 2016-17 schedule Friday, featuring three home fall events and the 2017 Conference USA Championship.

“This schedule will definitely test us and give us plenty of opportunities,” Borendame said. “We’re looking forward to getting the season underway with three home fall events next month.”

The Wally Tidwell Pro-Am is set to start off the fall season on Sept. 9-10 at the Adams Tennis Complex. Next up will be the Coach Dale Short Shootout (Sept. 23-25) and the Coach Dick LaLance Showdown (Sept. 30-Oct. 2), also at the ATC.

MT will then go on the road for the final four fall events, including the ITA All-American (Oct. 1-10) in Tulsa, Okla., the ITA Regional Championship (Oct. 20-24) in Knoxville, the Commodore Scramble (Oct. 28-30) in Nashville and the Alabama Four in the Fall Invitational (Nov. 4-6) in Birmingham, Ala.

The Blue Raiders return to the ATC on Jan. 16 to kick off the dual match season against Furman and Chattanooga, followed by a showdown in Nashville against Vanderbilt on Jan. 20. The Commodores were ranked No. 38 by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) to end the spring 2016 season.

To conclude the first month of the dual match season, MT hosts Penn (Jan. 21) as well as George Washington and Alabama A&M (Jan. 28). Borendame’s Blue Raiders then travel to Madison, Wis. to face Wisconsin on Feb. 3. MT’s final indoor home match is scheduled for Feb. 5 against Western Michigan.

“Without as many home matches, our team will be tested on the road in some tough environments against good teams,” Borendame said of his schedule, which features an 11-match road trip beginning Feb. 12 against Drake and Omaha in Des Moines, Iowa, followed by a pair of matches in Minneapolis, Minn. against Minnesota (Feb. 17) and Oregon (Feb. 18).

MT will round out the month of February at Georgia State on Feb. 26.

Showdowns with Pacific (March 5), Cal Poly (March 8) and Tulane (March 12) will precede a pair of events that are sure to simulate what the postseason feels like. Old Dominion hosts a three day round-robin event featuring the Monarchs, Blue Raiders, Charlotte and FAU on March 24-26. The MT Shootout is scheduled for March 31-April 2, as the Blue Raiders host South Alabama, Valpo and UAB.

MT concludes the regular season on the road against VCU (April 7) and William & Mary (April 8) before hosting East Tennessee State on April 12.

The 2017 C-USA Championship will be April 21-23 at the ATC.

“I am excited to show the league what amazing support and facilities we have at the Adams Tennis Complex,” Borendame added. “Our fans always do a great job of coming out and bringing great energy.”

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