Men's Tennis Announces Spring Slate
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – University of Miami head men’s tennis coach Aljosa Piric announced Thursday the team’s schedule for the upcoming 2020 spring season.
The Hurricanes upcoming slate will feature 16 opponents that closed out the 2019 season ranked in the ITA top 75.
Prior to dual match action, the Hurricanes will open the 2020 spring slate against stiff competition when they host defending national team champion and top-ranked Texas, No. 21 Georgia and Wisconsin in the Miami Invitational Jan. 10-12.
Set to begin dual match play on Jan. 17, the Canes welcome College of Charleston (12 p.m.) to the Neil Schiff Tennis Center. Two days later, the Hurricanes will host a doubleheader against Liberty at 1 p.m. and Georgia Southern at 6 p.m., before a road trip to Stanford, Calif., for ITA Kick-Off Weekend.
There, Miami will open with a neutral site match against California, No. 18 last year, on the first day (Jan. 25, time TBD) before battling either No. 12 Stanford or No. 44 Tulane on Jan. 26.
If Miami wins both matches in the Golden State, it will advance to the ITA National Team Indoor Championship, held Feb. 14-17 in Madison, Wisc.
The Hurricanes will open February with a neutral site match against Mississippi State (Feb. 2, 11 a.m.), which finished last season ranked ninth. The pair of teams will square off in Fort Meyers, Fla., on FGCU’s home court. The following weekend, Miami will return to the Neil Schiff Tennis Center to host South Alabama (Feb. 7, 11 a.m.) and Florida Atlantic (Feb 9, 12 p.m.). The Jaguars concluded last season ranked No. 55, while the Owls were No. 63.
Following a road match against FGCU (Feb. 15, 5 p.m.), Miami opens conference play at Clemson on Feb. 21 at 6 p.m., before traveling to Atlanta to take on Georgia Tech at 12 p.m. on Feb. 23. The Yellow Jackets closed out the season ranked No. 45.
On March 8, Miami will welcome in-state rival Florida State, ranked No. 26 last season, to the Neil Schiff Tennis Center at 12 p.m., before hosting seventh-ranked North Carolina (March 13, 3:30 p.m.), No. 53 Duke (March 15, 2 p.m.) and Rice (March 17, 3 p.m.) the following weekend.
Back on the road for a pair of matches, the Hurricanes will travel north to face Notre Dame, ranked No. 29 last season, March 20 at 3:30 p.m., before taking on Boston College two days later at 12 p.m.
The Hurricanes will close out the home portion of their regular season slate, beginning with a match against the 2019 national team runner-up and second-ranked Wake Forest at 12 p.m. on March 29. Miami will then take on NC State on April 3, before wrapping up its home slate on April 5 at 12 p.m. against Louisville. The Wolfpack capped last season ranked No. 23, while the Cardinals ranked No. 61.
Before traveling to Rome, Ga., for the 2020 ACC Tennis Championship, the Hurricanes will head to Virginia to close out the regular season at Virginia Tech (April 9, 3 p.m.) and Virginia (April 11, 12 p.m.). The Hokies and Cavaliers rounded out the 2019 campaign ranked No. 51 and fifth, respectively.
Last season, the Hurricanes (17-11, 7-5 ACC) went 11-1 at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center, reached the quarterfinals of the 2019 ACC Championship and capped the year ranked No. 36.
Entering the 2020 campaign, Miami is led in doubles play with the nation’s ninth-ranked tandem in junior Benjamin Hannestad and sophomore Franco Aubone, while junior Adria Soriano Barrera ranks No. 63 in singles.
