BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Samford University men's tennis team will begin play in its 2013 dual-match season Saturday at 2 p.m. (CST) as the Bulldogs will play host to the Austin Peay Governors for an early-season nonconference contest to be held at the Samford Tennis Complex.
 
Samford enters the contest boasting a talented roster comprised of two seniors, two juniors, a sophomore and a pair of highly-touted true freshman.
 
The Bulldogs' 2013 senior class consists of All-Southern Conference performers Zac Dunkle and Alex Sajonz, while juniors Elliot Barnwell and Garrison Laduca round out Samford's upperclassmen. Additionally, the Bulldogs will boast the play of Wisconsin transfer and sophomore Austin Akers this season.
 
Samford's roster will also include talented freshmen Fares Kilani of Tunis, Tunisia, and Henry Moore of Waterlooville, United Kingdom.
 
Last year, under the tutelage of first-year head coach Rahim Esmail, the Bulldogs concluded the season with a stellar 17-5 overall record and a near-perfect 9-1 mark in SoCon play. Samford earned a share of the SoCon regular-season title compiled a solid 7-3 record when competing at home at the Samford Tennis Complex.
 
The 2013 Austin Peay roster consists of seniors Sean Bailey and John Storie, junior Jasmin Ademovic and sophomores Dimitar Ristovski, Iago Seffrin and Aleksas Tverijonas. The Governors' squad also boasts the play of true freshman Evan Borowski.
 
Following Saturday's season-opening contest against Austin Peay, the Samford University men's tennis team will next be in action Feb. 3 at 1 p.m. (CST) as the Bulldogs travel to Atlanta, Ga., for a key nonconference matchup against the Georgia State Panthers.