NEW ORLEANS — The 19th-ranked LSU men’s tennis team along with the Health Club at the Hilton are set to host the SEC Coaches’ Indoor Championships this weekend in New Orleans.
Play begins 8 a.m. CT on Friday and will conclude Monday afternoon. The tournament will feature a Flight “A” singles draw, which will determine the SEC individual singles champion, a Flight “B” singles draw and one doubles draw.
The tournament will showcase some of the stiffest competition in the country as all eight SEC teams represented in this event are nationally ranked in the top-60. Along with host LSU, players from No. 2 Georgia, No. 5 Ole Miss, No. 13 Alabama, No. 14 Florida, No. 24 Tennessee, No. 55 Mississippi State and No. 56 South Carolina will participate in the tournament.
The Flight “A” singles draw features 14 nationally-ranked players.
“This is one of the strongest tournaments outside of the NCAAs,” LSU head coach Jeff Brown said. “The “A” Flight is incredibly tough and there will be some great tennis played. This is a nice way to start the season off.”
LSU has won an event in each of the last three SEC Indoors. Last year, LSU’s All-American doubles duo of former Tiger Danny Bryan and Colt Gaston won the doubles bracket. Former Tiger Ken Skupski won the singles bracket in 2006 and 2005.
Eight Tigers will be participating in this tournament. The most anxious LSU player to hit the courts is junior Michael Venus, who will be making his debut as a Tiger. The Orlando, Fla., native sat out the fall season after transferring from the University of Texas.
“We are excited to have Michael out on the court representing us,” Brown commented. “He has done everything we have asked him to do and we are looking forward to having him compete for LSU.”
Joining Venus in the tournament are seniors Kevin Dessauer, Gaston and Jan Zelezny, junior James Cluskey, freshmen Sebastian Carlsson, Julien Gauthier and Ryan Lissner.
SEC Coaches’ Indoor Championships
New Orleans, La.
January 18-21, 2007
Jan. 18 Schedule
All times Central
Singles “A” Draw
Round of 32
Kevin Dessauer (LSU) vs. (2) #5 Matthias Wellermann (UM), 1 p.m.
Colt Gaston (LSU) vs. Ivan Bjelica (MSU), 9:30 a.m.
Jan Zelezny (LSU) vs. Javier Bess (UA), 11:30 a.m.
Michael Venus (LSU) vs. Pjotrs Necajevs (MSU), 11:30 a.m.
James Cluskey (LSU) vs. Bram ten Berge (UM), Noon
Singles “B” Draw
Round of 32
(5) Sebastian Carlsson (LSU) received a bye
(8) Julien Gauthier (LSU) vs. William Lang (UT), 8 a.m.
Ryan Lissner (LSU) vs. Trey Walston (UA), 9 a.m.
Doubles
Round of 32
(4) Colt Gaston/Michael Venus (LSU) received a bye
Kevin Dessauer/Jan Zelezny (LSU) vs. Jordie Kindervater/Trey Watson (UA), 3 p.m.
Sebastian Carlsson/Ryan Lissner (LSU) vs. Dan Cash/Erik Corace (UF), 4 p.m.
James Cluskey/Julien Gauthier (LSU) vs. Pedro Campos/Johannes Pulsfort (USC), 4:30 p.m.
(tournament seed) No. ? National ranking