April 22, 2010
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The 10th-ranked Texas A&M men's tennis team will close out the regular season with a rescheduled non-conference dual match with No. 69 and old Southwest Conference rival TCU on Friday, April 23 at the George P. Mitchell Tennis Center.
First serve between the Aggies (20-5) and Horned Frogs (9-11) is set for 6 p.m. (CT). Both teams were originally scheduled to play on Feb. 26, but the match was cancelled due to inclement weather. A&M is coming off a 7-0 loss at third-ranked Texas on Wednesday, its first and only setback of the Big 12 Conference season, while TCU dropped a 6-1 decision at New Mexico in its Mountain West Conference regular-season finale on Sunday.
The Aggies will honor senior co-captain Marcus Lunt (San Antonio, Texas) and junior Patrick Dean (Dallas, Texas) during Senior Day festivities held prior to the match with the Horned Frogs. Lunt, who transferred from Tyler Junior College in 2005 and returned to the squad last season after serving a two-year Mormon mission in Utah, reflected on his three-year career in Aggieland.
"It's hard to explain what it has meant to be an Aggie," he said. "It's very special to say you're an Aggie, because you are a part of such a select group of students and faculty. I've also had the unique opportunity of being a student-athlete at Texas A&M. There's no other place similar in college tennis with the support we receive from our fans and the 12th Man. I've enjoyed every minute of my experience here. I attribute all of my success, and success in the future, to this program and to my coaches and teammates. We are such a close-knit family. We've built strong friendships and shared so many memories together that I will remember for the rest of my life."
Dean, who is listed on the A&M roster as a junior, but is a senior academically, will graduate in December with a bachelor's degree in biochemistry. A second generation Aggie who previously served as a team manager during the 2008 season, he epitomizes the tradition of the 12th Man with his spirit and dedication to the program.
"Being an Aggie has meant a lot to me," he said. "Both of my parents are Aggies and it was important for me to attend school here. I always wanted to be a college athlete and to be able to do so over the last two years has been a very rewarding experience. This is the closest team that we've had in the three years I've been involved with the team. Everyone plays for each other and cares about one another on-and-off the court."
Last season, sophomore Colin Hoover (Victoria, Texas), then a freshman, clinched a 4-3 road victory for the Aggies over the Horned Frogs. A&M has won the last three-straight meetings in the all-time series between the two in-state schools since 2007.
"TCU is always dangerous and underrated," Lunt said. "Their current ranking doesn't show how good they really are. They have a lot of talent and a deep lineup. They always come ready to play, especially against us. I expect it to be another close match, similar to last year in Fort Worth."
Live video and live scoring for the TCU match will be available on www.AggieAthletics.com. Tickets can be purchased online at: www.12thManFoundation.com or by calling the ticket office at 1-888-99-AGGIE.
Fan Parking Advisory...Due to previously scheduled reservations, all of the RV spaces located at Lot 100-D adjacent to the Mitchell Tennis Center will be occupied on Friday while the men's tennis team hosts TCU. A limited number of spaces will be available in Lot 100-D, however, Transportation Services officials have asked tennis fans not to block or occupy any of the RV spaces. A&M is also hosting a baseball game on Friday night with Reed Arena Lots 100-E, F and G available for parking at the cost of $5 per vehicle. Tennis fans may park free of charge in Lot 100-C which is located North of the road leading to the Reed Arena loading dock.
Catch The Coach Denton Radio Show...Listen to the Steve Denton Radio Show live every Monday at 4:15 p.m. (CT) on Chip Howard's SportsTalk broadcast live on KZNE 1150 AM The Zone in College Station. Denton joins Chip Howard for the only college tennis coach's radio show in the nation. Each week, the duo will recap and preview matches for the nationally-ranked Aggies. The weekly radio show airs every Monday from February through the NCAA Championships and can also be heard worldwide on the Internet at: www.KZNE.com.