Oct. 23, 2008
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -
The Samford men's tennis team will compete in its second tournament of the 2008 fall season this weekend as the Bulldogs square off against some of the region's top players at the Crimson Tide Fall Championships. The three-day event will be held Friday-Sunday.
The 2008 Crimson Tide Fall Championships will be held at the University of Alabama Tennis Stadium, Recreation Courts and Hank Crisp Indoor Facility. A total of 116 players representing 18 institutions will travel to Tuscaloosa, Ala., for the event.
The tournament features eight singles draws with 16 competitors in each and two doubles draws of 32 teams each. There will also be a consolation round for both the singles and doubles play.
The 18 institutions represented at this year's fall championships are Samford, Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Georgia Southern, Illinois, Jacksonville State, Jacksonville, Memphis, Mississippi State, USF, Southern Miss, Troy, UAB, Chattanooga, UT Martin, Vanderbilt and Virginia Tech.
The Bulldogs head into this week's competition boasting a roster comprised of two seniors, one junior, three sophomores and a pair of highly-touted freshmen. Six players returned from last season's squad that earned an automatic berth to the 2008 NCAA Tournament.
Seniors Brian Dushock and Richard Walsh, as well as junior Kelwin DeWet will help lead the Bulldogs this season. Sophomores Carl Abalos, Oliver Reynolds and Richard Walsh are also a talented trio of players on Samford's roster.
Also joining the Bulldogs this season are true freshmen Michael Browder and Carson Kadi. Browder is a native of Newnan, Ga., while Kadi came to Samford this year from New Orleans, La.
The Samford University men's tennis team will begin play in the 2008 Crimson Tide Fall Championships on Friday at 9 a.m. The tournament will open with the first round of doubles and first two rounds of singles on Friday.
Saturday will feature the doubles round of 16 and quarterfinals along with the semifinals of singles play. Competition will wrap up Sunday with both the semifinals and finals of doubles along with the singles finals. Matches begin at 9 a.m., each day.
