LEXINGTON, Ky. ? Three matches are on the schedule for the University of Kentucky men?s tennis team this weekend. The Wildcats begin action Saturday at 11 a.m. ET against Butler and later face DePaul at 4 p.m. ET for the second half of a double-header. Sunday, UK battles No. 36 Miami at noon in the Boone Tennis Complex. Admission is free for all matches.
Kentucky?s ranking remains unchanged at No. 48 after the first full week of national tennis action. UK junior Bruno Agostinelli enters the season 31st in the men?s singles national rankings and stands 21st in the doubles poll playing alongside freshman Brad Cox. Agostinelli should be ready for action after sitting out last week.
The Cats enter the weekend 2-0 after dispatching Eastern Kentucky and Toledo last Sunday. The Blue and White were led by senior captain Marcus Sundh playing at No. 1 singles who swept all of his matches in singles and doubles.
Cox and first-year player Alberto Gonzalez went undefeated in their matches playing at No. 2 and No. 3 singles, respectively. Junior Shane Collins also swept his opponents at the No. 5 position.
Butler (0-7) comes into Lexington finishing off a seven-game road swing to open the season that led the Bulldogs to visit five Big Ten campuses. UK is Butler?s only match-up against an SEC opponent. This is the third meeting between the schools since the Cats beat the ?Dogs 4-0 in 2005 NCAA Regional play. Kentucky claimed both matches since, surrendering only two match points.
DePaul (2-2) visits the Bluegrass for the first time since a loss to the Cats in 2005. The Blue Demons defeated common opponent Toledo 4-3 on the road the day before Kentucky beat the Rockets 6-1. DePaul?s most-recent match was a 6-1 road defeat at the hands of Western Michigan last Sunday.
Former Kentucky tennis player Marc Rincon returns to Lexington Sunday as head coach of the Miami Hurricanes. Rincon played for UK head coach Dennis Emery in the 1988-89 seasons and is in his fourth year at the helm of the Hurricane squad. The former Cat won the ACC Coach of the Year Award in 2006 for his quick turn-around of the program.
The ?Canes are fresh off of an upset 4-3 win over No. 13 Florida on Tuesday to go 3-0 on the year. The Hurricanes? No.7 Daniel Vallverdu defeated the Gators? No.8 Greg Ouellette in straight sets for a key win in No. 1 singles play. Miami later clinched at No. 6 singles after the match was knotted at three points apiece.
Please visit UKathletics.com for live stats of the Miami match Sunday and a full recap of each day?s action
