March 3, 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 49th-ranked University of Iowa men’s tennis team travels to Denver, CO, this weekend. Iowa will face Sacramento State Saturday and Denver Sunday. Saturday’s match time will depend on the weather in the Denver area. The Black and Gold will face Sacramento State at 1 p.m. (CT) Saturday if play is outdoors. If play is indoors, the match will begin at 5:30 (CT). Iowa will face Denver Sunday at 1 p.m.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Sacramento State is 4-5 overall. The Hornets are coached by Slava Konikov. He is in his fourth season as head coach. Denver is 8-2 on the season. The Pioneers, ranked 32nd nationally, are led by fourth-year Head Coach Danny Westerman.
THE SERIES
Iowa has never faced Sacramento State. The Hawkeyes are 1-2-1 all-time against Denver. The Pioneers defeated Iowa last season in Iowa City, 4-3.
LAST TIME OUT
Iowa won at in-state rival Drake last Wednesday, 4-3. The Hawkeyes then won their sixth straight overall against DePaul Sunday at the Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Complex. Iowa swept singles play and won two of three doubles matches to win 7-0.
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. 49 in the current ITA team rankings. It is the highest the Hawkeyes have been ranked since March 25, 2008, when they were No. 46. Ten of the 11 Big Ten schools are nationally ranked. In the central region, the doubles duo of senior Tommy McGeorge and sophomore Will Vasos is 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 316-319 (.498), 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.