#71 Men's Tennis Opens Season on the Road

Jan. 23, 2007

Greenville, S.C. - The Furman men's tennis team travels to Tallahassee, Fla., to open the 2007 season against Georgia State, Florida Atlantic and #15 Florida State. The Paladins, currently ranked #71 in the first edition of the Fila Collegiate Tennis Rankings, challenge the Georgia State Panthers at 10 a.m., on Saturday, followed by a match against the Florida Atlantic Owls at 2 p.m. Both matches will take place at the Speicher Tennis Center on the campus of Florida State University. Furman will close the road trip with a bout against the host Seminoles on Sunday at 10 a.m.

The Paladins return four of six starting singles players from a 2006 squad that posted a record of 20-11 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. The defending Southern Conference Tournament champs will face a challenging schedule this season, beginning this weekend. Furman is set to face seven teams currently ranked in the top 75 in the country, including three of the top 20 teams. While the Paladins will rely on the leadership of their four seniors, much of the strength in the lineup comes from a solid sophomore class. Andy Juc, Bo Ladyman and Daniel Knause combined for a 26-1 Southern Conference singles record last year. Juc, the SoCon Tournament MVP, also went 15-1 in doubles with current senior Scott Kahler.

Furman will play seven matches on the road before its first home match. The Paladins host Washington & Lee on February 21 at 3 p.m., at the Mickel Tennis Center.