LOGAN, Utah – With the first home match just days away, Utah State men's tennis has announced its competition schedule for the 2021 season.
Under the guidance of second-year head coach Aaron Paajanen, the Aggies return all but one player from last season's roster. Sergiu Bucur is coming back for a fifth year after his senior season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. USU also brings two new players to the courts, in redshirt freshman transfer Jack Ninteman and freshman Keanu Rigby.
The Aggies are set to open the 2021 campaign at home, hosting Idaho State on Jan. 23. USU will then head to Washington for a trio of matches. The team will take on Seattle and Gonzaga in Spokane on Feb. 6, then play at Eastern Washington on Feb. 7. USU will then take on in-state rival Weber State on the road on Feb. 13.
The Aggies then return home for three matches, taking on Denver on Feb. 19, and Colorado Mesa on Feb. 20. The second in-state foe of the season will make the trip to Logan on Feb. 27, when USU hosts BYU. USU will be on the road for the majority of the month of March, starting in a match at Utah on March 6. The Aggies will then play a pair of contests in Arizona, playing at Northern Arizona on March 8, and at Grand Canyon on March 9. The team then returns there on March 21, playing at Arizona State. The long road swing will come to an end for a March 25 match at home against Saint Mary's.
Utah State will open Mountain West play at home, hosting San Diego State on April 1. The team will then hit the road for three matches, playing at UNLV on April 3, at Fresno State on April 9 and at Nevada on April 11. The final two home contests of the year will be against Air Force and New Mexico on April 16 and April 18, respectively. The Aggies will then close the season at Boise State on April 24.
All of Utah State's home matches will be played at the Sports Academy and Racquet Club this season. Due to construction in the area, the outdoor courts on the USU campus are unavailable. The decision of whether matches will be played indoors or outdoors will be weather-dependent. Under COVID-19 protocol, USU will be limiting attendance at home contests to family members of student-athletes only.
Fans can follow USU's women's tennis team on Twitter @USUMensTennis, on Facebook at /UtahStateMensTennis or on Instagram at USUMensTennis. Aggie fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program on Twitter, @USUAthletics, Facebook at /USUAthletics and on Instagram, @USUAthletics.
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