College Tennis News - Aggies to Host Conference Challenge this Weekend

COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS - The Texas A&M men's tennis team hosts the 2012 Conference Challenge beginning Friday at the George P. Mitchell Tennis Center and the Omar Smith Tennis Complex. The three-day tournament features Texas A&M and LSU from the Southeastern Conference, Oklahoma from the Big 12 Conference and Illinois representing the Big Ten Conference.

Admission is free. Texas A&M doubles should play at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Friday with A&M singles matches slated to begin at 2:30 p.m.

"We are very excited to be playing at the Mitchell Tennis Center this weekend," Aggie head tennis coach Steve Denton said. "It is the last competitive opportunity for our team this fall with the exception of Shane (Vinsant) and Harry (Adams) playing doubles in New York in a couple of weeks at nationals. What I am looking forward to is seeing how our team responds in singles after we had such a great showing in doubles last weekend at the regionals."

Last year, A&M, Oklahoma and LSU all advanced to the second round of the NCAA Championship before their season came to an end, while Illinois advanced to the third round before falling to eventual national champion Southern California. Texas A&M was knocked out by the three-time defending champions on their home courts. All four teams were ranked in the top 30 in the final rankings, with Oklahoma finishing No. 10, followed by No. 15 Illinois, No. 25 LSU and No. 30 Texas A&M.

Depending on the players participating in this weekend's event, the matchups could feature a number of singles players and doubles teams that are listed in the preseason ITA rankings, including the No. 1 ranked doubles team of Costin Paval and Dane Webb of Oklahoma, which won the 2012 Big 12 Championship hosted by Texas A&M. The Aggie duo of Jackson Withrow and Jordan Szabo is No. 26. The Aggie freshmen duo of Shane Vinsant and Harrison Adams won the doubles title at the regionals last weekend in Fort Worth. The Aggie freshmen defeated teammates Alberto Bautista and Jackson Withrow to advance. Another Texas A&M doubles team of Jordan Szabo and Jeremy Efferding advanced to the semifinals at regionals.

Schedule:

Friday, Oct. 26

10 a.m. - First Round-Doubles

11:15 a.m. - Second Round-Doubles

2:30 p.m. - First round-Singles

Saturday, Oct. 27

10 a.m. - Second Round-Singles

2:30 p.m. - Third Round-Singles

Sunday, Oct. 28

9 a.m. - Third Round-Doubles

10:15 a.m. - Fourth Round-Singles

For results and schedules access AggieAthletics.com and click on tennis.

The Aggies will be in action again on Nov. 8-10 when Harrison Adams and Shane Vinsant will compete in the USTA/ITA National Intercollegiate Championships in Flushing Meadows, New York.