For Immediate Release: Thursday, September 26, 2002
Contact: Adam Pitterman, UTPA Assistant Sports Information Director, (956) 381-2240

UTPA TENNIS SQUADS FACE TOUGH TESTS AT TOURNAMENTS

EDINBURG, TX-The University of Texas-Pan American's tennis teams will be in action this weekend. The men's team will travel to Waco for the Baylor Invitational, while the women's team will travel to Beaumont for the Lamar Invitational. Both tournaments will begin Friday, with the finals scheduled for Sunday.

The Broncs will face stiff competition at Baylor as five of the country's top ten teams, including Texas, Texas-Arlington, and Baylor will be in the field. The Baylor Tennis Center has hosted such events as the 2001 Big 12 and NCAA regional championships. "This is a great opportunity for our players to face some of the best competition in the nation, at one of the best facilities," said UTPA Head Coach Todd Chapman. "This is an opportunity for our players to step up and make a name for themselves, and for UTPA tennis."

Also participating at Baylor are Southern Methodist, Texas Christian, Texas A&M, Mississippi, Rice, Lamar, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Wake Forest, and South Alabama. "This will be the best competition we'll see all year," said Chapman. "It will be exciting to play the best, and see how we match up against them."

The Lady Broncs will face stiff competition, opening their fall season against a field that includes Lamar and Stephen F. Austin at the Lamar Invitational. "In the last month, we've shown great improvement," said Chapman. "We're excited to face some actual competition, and I get to see how our freshmen will do."

Chapman pointed out that this will be the first time this season that the UTPA women's team will face an opponent. "You can't simulate tournament play in practice," explained Chapman. "This will give both myself and (Assistant) Coach (Elizabeth) Middleton a chance to see what we need to work on."

Following this weekend's action, then men's team will travel to Texas-San Antonio on October 18th for the Texas-San Antonio Invitational, while the women will go to Fort Worth on the same date for the Omni Hotel ITA Southwest Regional.


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