Match 1: Kennesaw State at Samford
Date: Friday, Jan. 22; 2 p.m.
Location: Pat M. Couring Tennis Pavillion | Birmingham, Ala.
Links: Draw | Quick Facts | Archive Section | Roster | Schedule
Social Media: Twitter | Facebook
 
Match 2: Kennesaw State at Austin Peay
Date: Sunday, Jan. 24; 10 a.m.
Location: Tennis Center | Clarksville, Tenn.
Links: Draw | Quick Facts | Archive Section | Roster | Schedule
Social Media: Twitter | Facebook

Weekend Preview
The Kennesaw State men's tennis squad opens its 2016 spring dual match schedule this weekend when it travels to Birmingham, Alabama on Friday to take on Samford before trekking to Clarksville, Tennessee to take on non-conference foe Austin Peay.
 
The men's tennis team will begin its eighth season at the NCAA Division I level that dates back to 2008. Kennesaw State is coming off a 7-12 campaign in 2015, and will have seven letterwinners return from a  season ago.
 
The Series
Friday's match between Kennesaw State and Samford marks the first meeting between the two programs, while the match on Sunday against Austin Peay will mark the third overall meeting. The two teams are an even 1-1, with its first meeting dating back to 2009-10 through 2011.

The Last Time Out
Doubles tandem Manuel Castellanos and Jorge Wilton of the Kennesaw State men's tennis team won the doubles competition at the Georgia Southern Men's Championship Sunday (Oct. 25) afternoon at the Hanner Tennis Complex. Overall, the Owls won over 60 percent of their matches over the weekend.

The duo outdueled teammates Sam Slade and Alejandro Valencia –who won three straight matches against Chattanooga, Savannah State and Chattanooga—6-3 in the finals to win the competition. Castellanos and Wilton went a perfect 4-0 in doubles play as Slade and Valencia went 3-1.

Overall, the Owls went 20-11 (.645) in doubles play in the fall with nine different tandems used in competition.

Quoting Rincon
"The team is very excited about getting the season started. It has been a while since we've competed as a team in a dual match, and the guys are ready to go. Personally, I'm looking forward to watching everybody compete. We have done the work during the offseason and in practice. Samford will be the first of three matches indoors."

Next Up
The Owls continue their 2016 spring campaign traveling to Belmont on Friday, Jan. 29 in Nashville, Tennessee.  

To keep up with the latest Kennesaw State men's tennis news follow the team on Twitter @KSUOwlNation and @KSUMensTennis or by liking Kennesaw State University on Facebook.