Jan. 13, 2004

FORT WORTH, Texas

The TCU men's tennis team will begin the 2004 season ranked No. 18 according to the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's (ITA) ratings. The Horned Frogs concluded 2003 ranked 21st after starting at No. 34. TCU returns all but one starter from last season's squad and figures to be one of the favorites to win Conference USA. Tulane was the only other C-USA team to come in ahead of TCU at No. 16.

In the individual ratings, senior Alex Menichini was tabbed No. 44 in singles, while the doubles tandem of junior Fabrizio Sestini and Rafael Abreu was picked 19th.

TCU begins the 2004 campaign at home Jan. 24 when its hosts Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on the Bernard J. "Tut" Bartzen Varsity Tennis Courts at Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center at noon. The Frogs will play an exhibition match with the University of Sterling Jan. 20 at 1:30 p.m. as a warm-up for the Islanders.

ITA TEAM RANKINGS
1. Illinois
2. Baylor
T-3. Florida
T-3. Vanderbilt
5. Stanford
6. Mississippi
7. UCLA
8. Duke
9. Texas A&M
10. Kentucky
11. Washington
12. California
13. Texas
14. Virginia Commonwealth
15. Minnesota
16. Tulane
17. Ohio State
18. TCU
19. LSU
20. Alabama
21. Southern California
22. Oklahoma State
23. Georgia
24. Rice
25. South Carolina