A Wildcat quartet begins play Friday afternoon in the pre-qualifying rounds of the 2004 Icy Hot/ITA All-American Championships in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Senior Matt Emery, junior Alex Hume and freshmen Nolan Polley and Marcus Sundh all begin their respective bids Friday to qualify for the main draw of the All-American Championships, which begin Oct. 7 in Chattanooga.

Each Kentucky participant earned a first-round bye and will begin play Friday in the round of 128. Emery will meet either Tennessee Tech?s Borjn Zarco or Denver?s Adam Holmstrom. Hume will take on Northwestern?s Willy Lock or Furman?s Brian Crook. Either Scott Blackmon of Georgia Tech or Wil Lofgren of Bradley will meet the Wildcat freshman Polley, and Sundh will battle Old Dominion?s Nate Grover or Brady Crosby of Western Michigan.

Information on the 2004 Icy Hot/ITA All-American Championships can be found at www.itatennis.com.