LEXINGTON, Ky. ? The University of Kentucky men?s tennis team plays a unique set of home-and-home matches to open the season. The Cats travel to Eastern Kentucky University to play the Colonels at 11 a.m. ET Sunday before returning to Lexington to host the University of Toledo Rockets at 4 p.m. ET at the Boone Tennis Complex. Admission is free.
The Wildcats start this year?s campaign ranked 10 notches higher (No. 48) than where it finished last season. One of the reasons for that national respect is UK junior Bruno Agostinelli, who enters the season 31st in the men?s singles national rankings.
Agostinelli?s place in the poll is the highest of his career and the best for a Wildcat since Jesse Witten?s run in the top-five at the end of 2005. The Niagara Falls, Canada native teams with freshman Brad Cox as one of the top doubles tandems in the nation, ranked 21st in the latest doubles rankings.
UK Head Coach Dennis Emery counts on senior captain Marcus Sundh and classmate Will Ward to help lead the team in both singles and doubles. However, with a young roster Emery relies on his highly-regarded freshmen, including Cox, to earn points for the Cats.
?The thing about our freshman class is that they have a high talent level and a big upside,? Emery said. ?We feel like this class gives us a real chance to compete. We will probably play four freshmen in our top eight this year.?
Eastern Kentucky comes into the match with a 2-1 record after losing at No. 61 Indiana Friday. The Colonels are led by freshman Alex Das Izquierdo playing No. 1 singles with a 2-1 mark this season.
Toledo also plays at home and on the road this weekend facing DePaul Saturday before traveling to Lexington. The Rockets enter the weekend with a 2-1 record after losing at No. 12 Notre Dame last weekend. Toledo Head Coach Al Wermer expects a battle Sunday against the Cats.
?UK is a very explosive team that will be a second huge challenge for us within 24 hours,” Wermer said.
Please visit UKathletics.com for live stats of the Toledo match and a full recap of the day?s action.
