Netters Launch Season Against Wildcats and Aggies

PROVO -- Following a successful round of fall tournaments, the No. 38 BYU men’s tennis team will kick off the spring season with back-to-back match ups against in-state rivals Weber State and Utah State Friday at noon and 5:30 p.m. respectively.

BYU head football coach Bronco Mendenhall and freshman running back Josh Quezada will face off on the tennis court during the intermission of the Utah State match. They will be joined by Cosmo and a mystery player.

During fall tournament play, the Cougars put up an 8-1 record against Weber State and a 7-3 record against Utah State.

BYU leads the series with both rivals, going 50-3 against WSU and 47-0 against USU. Friday’s matches mark the fourth consecutive year the Cougars opened the season with matches against the Wildcats and the Aggies.

The Cougars start the 2011 season with two nationally ranked singles players and two ranked doubles duos. Freshman Patrick Kawka ranked No. 88 in the ITA poll and senior and team captain Evan Urbina ranked No. 110. Sophomore Spencer Smith is ranked in two doubles pairs, No. 41 with Daniel Hwang and No. 44 with Thomas Shubert.

Shubert and Smith took the Mountain Region doubles title in October, beating teammates Kawka and Urbina in the final. Shubert and Smith then traveled to New York to participate in the ITA National Indoor Championships at the site of the U.S. Open.

BYU swept the Utah Invitational with Urbina taking the singles title and Hwang and Smith taking the doubles. Shubert took the Utah Fall Tennis Classic singles title. Four players were also invited to the ITA All-American Championships.

The match against Weber State is at noon at the BYU Indoor Tennis Courts, followed by a 5:30 pm. match up with Utah State. The Courts are located south of the Smith Fieldhouse.

Pizza and prizes will be provided. Spectators may park in the “Y Lot” parking lots southwest and northwest of the courts after 4p.m. Attendance to both matches is free.