NEW ORLEANS — The LSU men’s tennis team along with the Rivercenter Racquet and Health Club will play host to the 2007 SEC Coaches Indoor Championships this weekend in New Orleans. Play begins at 8 a.m. C.T. on Friday and will conclude on Monday afternoon.
The tournament was supposed to be held at the Rivercenter Racquet and Health Club this past season but due to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina it was hosted by the University of Kentucky.
“It is nice to have such a quality event in New Orleans, after having to miss it with the Hurricane last year,” LSU head coach Jeff Brown said. “Normally this tournament rotates within the 12 SEC teams but the coaches voted as a group to return back to New Orleans this year as a show of good will to the people of New Orleans. I am glad we are able to do our part in promoting New Orleans. This is a top notch event. You won’t see better competition other then this event, outside of the NCAA Championships.”
Seven out of the 12 SEC schools will be represented at the tournament including host LSU, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Tennessee.
The tournament will consist of a Flight “A” singles draw, which will determine the SEC individual singles champion, a Flight “B” singles draw and one doubles draw.
Senior Ken Skupski has proven to be king of this tournament, as he has won the past two singles championships. The two-time All-American holds an 11-1 record at this tournament. Out of Skupski’s 11 wins, only two had to go to a third set.
“For Ken to win back-to-back titles was something special but every year is a different year,” Brown commented.
Skupski is the No. 2 seed in the tournament and will face Florida’s Jordan Dolberg in the opening round of 32 in the singles “A” draw.
Also in the singles “A” draw, Colt Gaston will see his first action of the season when he faces the tournament’s No. 7 seed Phillipe Frayssinoux of Mississippi State. Danny Bryan and Jan Zelezny will both face a Volunteer as they go against Ben Rogers and Bobby Cameron, respectively. James Cluskey and Kevin Dessauer will each battle a Rebel. Cluskey faces Jakob Klaeson and Dessauer will compete against Chris Rea.
In the singles “B” draw, Martel Campbell and Eric DeRoche will take on Tennessee’s Chris Racz and Johnny Thornton, respectively.
In doubles, LSU top two duos of Skupski and Cluskey, and Bryan and Gaston received byes in the first round. After an impressive fall campaign Skupski and Cluskey received the No. 1 seed of the tournament. Bryan and Gaston received the No. 5 seed.
DeRoche and Campbell will face Georgia’s Jamie Hunt and Nate Schnugg at 3 p.m. Dessauer and Zelezny will cap off the opening day’s competition when they battle Florida’s duo of Shaun Young and Billy Mulligan at 4 p.m.
SEC Coaches Indoor Championships
Friday, January 19, 2006
Singles “A” Draw
Round of 32
Colt Gaston (LSU) vs. (7) No. 31 Phillipe Frayssinoux (MSU), 10 a.m.
Jan Zelezny (LSU) vs. (6) No. 24 Bobby Cameron (UT), 11 a.m.
No. 68 Danny Bryan (LSU) vs. Ben Rogers (UT), 11:30 a.m.
Kevin Dessauer (LSU) vs. Chris Rea (UM), Noon
James Cluskey (LSU) vs. Jakob Klaeson (UM), 12:30 p.m.
(1) No. 9 Ken Skupski (LSU) vs. Jordan Dolberg (UF), 1:30 p.m.
Singles “B” Draw
Round of 32
Martel Campbell (LSU) vs. Chris Racz (UT) 8 a.m.
Eric DeRoche (LSU) vs. Johnny Thornton (UT) 9 a.m.
Doubles
Round of 32
(1) No. 3 Ken Skupski/James Cluskey (LSU) received a bye
(5) Danny Bryan/Colt Gaston (LSU) received a bye
Eric DeRoche/Martel Campbell (LSU) vs. Jamie Hunt/ Nate Schnugg (UGA), 3 p.m.
Kevin Dessauer/Jan Zelezny (LSU) vs. Shaun Young/Billy Mulligan (UF), 4 p.m.
(tournament seed) No. ? National ranking