Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Valparaiso University head men’s tennis coach Jim Daugherty has announced that the Crusaders will play 10 home matches as part of a 23-match spring schedule which is slated to begin on Jan. 28 with a match at Western Michigan.

As usual, the Crusaders will play their home outdoor matches on campus at the Valpo Tennis Complex, but this season will play the indoor contests at a combination of sites including the Courts of Northwest Indiana, the South Bend Racquet Club, and the Northwest Athletic Club.

After opening the season at Western Michigan, the Crusaders will return home to host IUPUI.  A road trip to instate foe Ball State follows before the Brown and Gold return home for four straight contests in eight days.  Visits from Bradley, Toledo, Grace, and Eastern Illinois will round out the home slate prior spring break, as will a trip to Michigan State.

Valpo heads to Florida in early March for the annual spring trip and will face Presbyterian, Saint Cloud State, Robert Morris (Pa.) and South Dakota State before returning home for the outdoor schedule, weather permitting.

Horizon League play begins March 19 with a visit from Green Bay while Detroit also comes to town in March.  The Crusaders also have home dates with IPFW, Indiana Wesleyan, and Purdue-Calumet to round out April.

The regular season will come to a close at Wright State on April 17 before the top six teams in the league head to Indianapolis, Ind. for the Horizon League Championships, to be held April 22-24.