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ELON, N.C. – Elon head men’s tennis coach
Michael Leonard has released the team’s 2012 schedule. The defending league-champion Phoenix is slated for 23 matches this season, including the usual Southern Conference match ups, as well as the Southern Conference Tournament. Elon will face four teams that finished the 2011 season in the final Intercollegiate Tennis Association rankings. The maroon and gold returns five from last year’s SoCon regular season championship team and welcomes in four freshmen.
"Our non-conference schedule is filled with teams that were ranked last year," stated Leonard. "Playing a challenging non-league schedule should prepare us well for the competitive play in the Southern Conference and have us ready to be in the hunt for the league title."
Elon’s season will begin on Saturday, Jan. 16, at the Duke Invitational in nearby Durham, N.C. The Phoenix will continue on the road on Jan. 27 at SEC opponent South Carolina before facing Georgia State on Jan. 28 in Columbia, S.C.
Phoenix fans will get to see the maroon and gold for the first time at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center when it plays Tennessee Tech on Friday, Feb. 3. Elon will play another home match two days later on Feb. 5 against Gardner-Webb.
Saturday, Feb. 11, marks the first of three compelling matches for Elon with a trip to Winston-Salem, N.C., to take on Wake Forest, a team that finished 33rd in last season’s final ITA rankings. The Phoenix will return home the next day to host the Princeton Tigers who finished last season ranked 63rd. The maroon and gold closes out the tough stretch with a match at Radford, who finished 68th in 2011, on Feb. 19.
After a doubleheader on Feb. 25 against Queens and South Carolina State, Elon begins SoCon play the first weekend of March with a match at College of Charleston on the 3rd and at The Citadel on the 4th.
Chattanooga and Davidson will pay a visit to Elon for the Phoenix’s first home SoCon weekend on March 10th and 11th. Elon will host the Roadrunners of Texas San Antonio on Wednesday, March 14, to close out a three-match home stand.
After taking on Georgia Southern on March 19 in Statesboro, Ga., Elon will travel to Jacksonville, Fla., on March 21 for a match against North Florida, a team that finished last season ranked 75th. The Phoenix will face Appalachian State, Furman, Wofford and UNCG before its last home match against the reigning SoCon Tournament Champion Samford Bulldogs on April 6. Elon will close out the regular season with a match in Greenville, N.C., against East Carolina on April 14.
Charleston, S.C., will play host to the 2012 SoCon Tennis Tournament on April 19-22 as College of Charelston and The Citadel will serve as host schools.
-- ELON --