Rice University
TCU
Men's Tennis Faces No. 5 TCU in ITA Kickoff Weekend
1/25/2024 4:43:00 PM | Men's Tennis
In Brief: Rice men's tennis is set to participate in the ITA Kickoff Weekend at TCU on Saturday, January 27, at 2 p.m. CT. The Owls will also face off against either Princeton or Tulsa on Sunday, January 28.
The Schedule: Saturday: at No. 5 TCU - 2 p.m. CT | Sunday: vs. Princeton/Tulsa - 11 a.m./2 p.m. CT
Match Info: The ITA Kickoff Weekend is a nationwide event featuring 60 teams playing at 15 host campuses, each competing for a berth in the ITA Indoor National Championships. The Owls are competing in the event for the first time since 2017.
Live stats for each of Rice's matches during the weekend will be available through TCU athletics.
The Owls: Rice has started the 2024 season at 3-0, posting three consecutive sweeps over Prairie View A&M (7-0, twice) and Lamar (4-0). Rice has yet to lose a singles or doubles match this season. The team is currently 8-0 in doubles matches and 15-0 in singles matches. In Rice's 4-0 win over Lamar this past weekend, sophomore Santiago Navarro and junior Emir Sendogan each posted 6-0, 6-0 victories as part of the win.
The Opposition: TCU is currently ranked fifth in the nation according to the latest ITA rankings. The Horned Frogs began their season on Wednesday with a 7-0 home victory over Abilene Christian. Rice is 13-35 all-time against TCU, with their last win in the series coming in a 4-3 win in Fort Worth on April 1, 2012.
Tulsa is 2-0 this season with a pair of 7-0 wins over Oral Roberts and Illinois State. Rice is 9-17 all-time against Tulsa. The Golden Hurricane have won the last four meetings, though the two sides will reacquaint themselves for the first time since 2014. The Owls last won versus Tulsa in a 4-3 victory on April 25, 2010.
Princeton is 1-2 after beginning the season with a three-match North Carolina roadtrip. The Tigers defeated North Carolina Central, 7-0, before falling to North Carolina State, 7-0, and Duke, 4-3. Rice and Princeton have met four times previously. The Owls won the inaugural matchup, 4-3, on Feb. 20, 2016, at the George R. Brown Tennis Center. The Tigers have won the previous three matchups, all away from Houston.
Players Mentioned
