May 12, 2006
FORT WORTH, Texas - The 32nd-ranked TCU men's tennis team will begin its 2006 NCAA Tournament run on Saturday at 2 p.m. (CST) when it takes on 38th-ranked San Diego in Malibu, Calif.
The Frogs come into Saturday's match after posting three-straight victories to claim the Mountain West Conference Tournament Championship. With the win and the women claiming the title on their end, TCU became only the third institution to claim both titles in the same year (BYU 2001, San Diego State 2003).
Sophomore Andrei Mlendea highlights a TCU roster that boasts two ranked singles teams and a doubles squad. Mlendea is currently ranked 34th in the ITA singles poll after posting 15-7 record. The Oradea, Romania, product recorded back-to-back victories versus Top 10 opponents in fourth-ranked Lars Poerschke of Baylor and eighth-ranked Jerry Makowski of Texas A&M.
Senior Rafael Abreu holds the No. 91 position in the singles poll and is ranked 27th in doubles action alongside Jordan Freitas.
TCU leads San Diego 4-0 in the all-time series that dates back to 1982. In the last meeting, the Frogs prevailed by a score of 4-1 at the Friedman Tennis Center Indoor Courts on Feb. 19.
