March 12, 2008
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - After a little over a week off, the Penn State men's tennis team (4-5, 1-0) will head back onto the court on Thursday with its first visit to the Blue-Gray Tennis Classic in Montgomery, Ala. The Lions will meet 21st-ranked Alabama (11-4) at 11 a.m. CT on Thursday in the first round of the 16-team draw.
Coming off a stout 7-0 victory over Northwestern to open Big Ten play, the Nittany Lions head to Alabama for their second prestigious tournament of the spring. The Blue-Gray Tennis Classic has featured the nation's elite collegiate tennis talent for nearly 60 years. Of the 16 teams participating at the Blue-Gray this week, 14 of them are ranked nationally. Each team is guaranteed three matches in Montgomery.
"It will be a great experience for us to be a part of a tournament with such a talented field of teams," said head coach Todd Doebler. "We are looking forward to the challenge. Alabama is a very talented group."
Senior Michael James (Clifton, Va.) brings a team-best 20-7 overall record into the Blue-Gray Classic. James owns a 5-3 mark at the No. 1 spot in dual matches. The Lion senior has also posted three victories over ranked opponents this season.
Junior Brendan Lynch (North Potomac, Md.) has already put together a stellar resume this season. The Nittany Lion southpaw owns an 18-5 overall record, including a 7-2 mark in dual matches this spring. Lynch has gone 8-2 in his last 10 singles outings. Also, Lynch and James have chalked up a perfect 6-0 record in doubles action in dual matches thus far in 2008.
As a team, Penn State has gotten off to a strong start in doubles action. The Nittany Lions have secured the doubles marker in six of their first nine matches. Penn State is a perfect 8-0 at No. 3 doubles this spring. Alabama marks the seventh ranked opponent in the Lions' first 10 matches this spring.
The 21st-ranked Crimson Tide bring an 11-4 mark into the Blue-Gray Tennis Classic. Alabama is also off to a 3-1 start in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) this spring. The Tide are coming off a 6-1 defeat at the hands of No. 5 Mississippi. Alabama went 3-1 in Blue-Gray action last season.
Action will run from Thursday through Sunday at the Lagoon Tennis Center in Montgomery, Ala. The winner of the Penn State/Alabama bout will meet either No. 35 Boise State or No. 46 Oklahoma on Friday. Back draw play will also begin on Friday. Fans can follow live scoring from the Blue-Gray at www.bluegraytennis.com.