Men's tennis will begin spring season with Eastern Washington

BIG SKY CONFERENCE NOTES: Jan. 21

GREELEY, Colo. -- Northern Colorado's men’s tennis team will open its 2009 spring season Sunday, Jan. 25, at home against Eastern Washington.

Match play begins at 9 a.m. at Work Out West in Greeley.

The Bears had a relatively successful fall season and will start the spring season ranked No. 7 in the Big Sky Conference preseason coaches polls. Eastern Washington was picked to finish second in the preseason poll after winning the Big Sky Championship last spring.

“Eastern Washington is a tough test for us on Sunday," Northern Colorado coach Steve Williams said. "After our impressive fall season, I truly believe our players are convinced we can hang with anyone. Our players are relatively unknown to the rest of the Big Sky Conference, and that may possibly give us an edge.”

The Bears have added two new players since the fall season ended in sophomores Jordan Boecker and Clay Mundell, who transferred to Northern Colorado from nationally ranked Tyler (Texas) Junior College.

Boecker and Mundell will join returning players Andy Green, Andre Lepine, Adam Perez and Calix Van Lier.

“We have a unified goal to try to make the Big Sky Conference Championships," Williams said. "We know that will be a challenge, but we are excited to see what we can accomplish as a team this spring."