Jan. 27, 2010
- Iowa and the Big Ten Network
- Big Ten Network: Free Hawkeye Video
- 24 Hawkeyes to Watch (2009-10 season)
- Download your Iowa Hawkeye iPhone app!
Complete Release in PDF Format
THIS WEEK
The 58th-ranked University of Iowa men’s tennis team opens the 2010 dual season at the ITA Kick-Off Weekend at Baylor University in Waco, TX. Other teams include top seed and host Baylor, No. 2 seed TCU and No. 3 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Iowa is the No. 4 seed and will face Baylor Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Baylor Tennis Center. The championship match will be held Sunday at 1 p.m. The consolation will follow at 4 p.m. The winner will advance to play in the National Team Indoor Feb. 12-15 in Charlottesville, VA.
SCOUTING THE SQUADS
Baylor, ranked sixth nationally, is 2-0 on the young season. The Bears have defeated Louisiana-Lafayette (7-0) and 11th-ranked Florida (5-2). They are coached by Matt Knoll. He is in his 13th season as Baylor’s head coach. TCU is 2-0 and is ranked 38th nationally. It is led by fourth year Head Coach Dave Borelli. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi is 0-2 and ranked 66th. It is coached by Steve Moore.
THE SERIES
This will be the first matchup for the Hawkeyes against all three schools.
2009 RECAP
Iowa finished 12-9 overall and 4-6 in conference play in 2009. Nationally ranked Big Ten singles champion Christian Bierich was named all-Big Ten. It marked the second-straight season a Hawkeye garnered all-Big Ten honors.
IN THE RANKINGS
Iowa is ranked No. 58 in the opening ITA team rankings. Nine of the 11 Big Ten schools are nationally ranked. In the central region, the doubles duo of senior Tommy McGeorge and sophomore Will Vasos are ranked ninth. The pair finished 17-3 in dual play in 2009. The rankings can be found at itatennis.com.
HEAD COACH Steve Houghton
Steve Houghton, the dean of Big Ten coaches, is in his 29th year as head coach of the Hawkeyes. He has compiled a career record of 310-318 (.494), recording the most wins of any coach in Iowa men’s tennis history. Houghton recorded his 300th win at Indiana State Feb. 6, 2009. His best season came in 1984 when Iowa won a school record 21 matches and two Hawkeyes earned all-Big Ten honors. In 1989, Houghton was named NCAA Region IV Coach of the Year and picked up his 100th career dual win. Four of Houghton’s athletes have also been selected Big Ten Sportsman of the Year. He became the winningest coach in Iowa tennis history in 1992 and is a member of the Iowa Tennis Hall of Fame. While playing at Iowa, Houghton had a career winning percentage of .727 (40-15), second best in Iowa history.
QUOTING COACH HOUGHTON
“It is an honor to be selected to play in this national event and reflects the improvement we have made the past couple of years. Baylor is ranked sixth nationally and won a national championship recently. They will be a real challenge for us.”