April 22, 2003

LOGAN, UT - Utah State men's tennis faces UC Irvine in the first round of the Big West Championships on Thursday, April 24 at 10 a.m. The Aggies are the sixth seed, finishing with a 7-12 spring season record, while UC Irvine is the third seed, with an 11-9 record.

The winner of Thursday's match plays the winner of the UC Santa Barbara and UC Riverside match at 4 p.m. on Friday. The losers of each match play Friday at 7 p.m. in the double-elimination tournament.

The Aggies last faced the Anteaters during the 1996 Big West Tournament. Utah State lost that match-up, 6-0.

Last year in the Big West Tournament, Utah State opened with a 6-0 first round loss against Pacific.

In doubles, Jason Trask and Brandon Butler lead the Aggies with a 9-8 record at number two doubles. In singles, freshman Andrew Marsh boasts the best record at 14-14 this season.

This year's tournament features seven Big West schools and will be held at the Blackhawk Country Club in Stockton, Calif.

The championship match is scheduled for Sunday, April 27 at 1 p.m.