The Texas A&M men’s team has not played a match at the George P. Mitchell Tennis Center in seven weeks.
In a tough road trip, the Aggies played five Top 25 teams and three unranked opponents, going 4-4 during the stretch.
“We have been gone since Jan. 25, so it feels good to be able to come back here and play,” said A&M Head Coach Steve Denton. “To get to play in front of the 12th Man is a bonus for us and I know the guys are really looking forward to it.”
The Aggies will have the chance to be the second team in 2009 to upset No. 5 Ohio State when the Buckeyes travel to College Station on Friday.
Ohio State, which started the season ranked No. 1 in the nation, dropped in the rankings after suffering a 4-3 loss to No. 6 Tennessee.
Despite a strong Ohio State résumé, the Aggies are ready for the challenge and feel that they match up well against the Buckeyes’ lineup. In his four year career at A&M, senior Conor Pollock, who ranks No. 14 individually in singles, has defeated each of the Buckeyes’ top three players.
“They are definitely a great team, but we know we can beat them,” Pollock said.
One factor that should weigh in favor of the Aggies will be playing at home. The George P. Mitchell Tennis Center is an outdoor facility, whereas the Buckeyes play all home matches at Varsity Center, an indoor facility.
“Because they haven’t played a lot of outdoor tennis, we may catch them that way,” Denton said. “Playing outdoors is definitely an advantage for us.”
The other advantage of playing at home is the 12th Man. In 2008, the A&M men averaged 445 fans at home matches, the third highest attendance in college tennis. On Jan. 22, 2008, the Aggies drew 630 fans for a match against Boise State, marking the fourth highest single-match attendance of 2008.
“Their record is their record, but when they come here to play it is going to be a tough match especially in front of our fans on our court,” Pollock said.
The Aggies have four matches remaining, including Ohio State, to prepare for Big 12 play, which begins March 27 against Oklahoma. A&M is using the tough pre-season schedule to prepare for a Big 12 that includes four teams that rank nationally in the Top 30.
“In order to be ready for the Big 12 and the NCAA we want [the pre-season] to be as difficult as possible,” Denton said. “[We want] our guys to be prepared and playing well by the end of the season when it is really important.”