Cougars Set To Cruise California

PROVO, Utah (Jan.23, 2006) -- The No. 63 BYU men's tennis team will stay on the road this week, leaving the ice and snow of Utah for sunny California. The Cougars will compete against Santa Barbara, No. 5 UCLA, and No. 9 Pepperdine during their tour of the West Coast.

The Cougars know what they are up against in facing these perennial powerhouses this early in the season, but Coach Brad Pearce said he is excited to play tough opponents because playing against the best competition makes his team that much better. He said tough early matches will give the team an advantage late in the season and in conference play, as each team in the Mountain West finished last season nationally ranked.

BYU begins play Monday against Santa Barbara, then plays Wednesday against UCLA and faces Pepperdine on Friday. All matches begin at 1:30 PST.