TCU Men's Tennis Ready for C-USA Championship

April 20, 2005

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2005 C-USA CHAMPIONSHIP

April 21-24, 2005 • Bass-Rudd Tennis Center • Louisville, Ky.
TCU Horned Frogs (7-13): #2 Seed

ABOUT THE C-USA CHAMPIONSHIP
The TCU men's tennis team enters the 2005 Conference USA Championship as the No. 2 seed. The University of Louisville is hosting the event over April 21-24 at the Bass-Rudd Tennis Center in Louisville, Ky. TCU faces the winner of No. 8-seeded Southern Miss and No. 9-seeded Charlotte on Friday, April 22, at 10 a.m. CDT.

TCU AND CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS
TCU has not won a conference championship since claiming the 2001 Western Athletic Conference title. The Frogs finished runner-up to Tulane the past two years and took a fourth place finish in 2002. Overall, TCU has won 10 conference tournament titles in men's tennis (1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001). As a member of the Southwest Conference, the Frogs claimed five regular-season titles (1989, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996). The WAC and C-USA do not crown a regular-season champion.

A RICH NCAA HISTORY
The Horned Frogs have a rich tradition of excellence in the NCAA Tournament. TCU has made 19 appearances in the event since the current team format was adopted in 1977. TCU has been in every tourney since 1991 and made 17 of the past 18 NCAAs. The Purple and White owns a record of 25-19 in the tournament and has made three appearances (1989, 1996, 2001) in the national semifinals. TCU has also reached at least the NCAA quarterfinals on seven occasions (1982, 1989, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001). In the individual championships, TCU had a string of 27 consecutive appearances from 1975 to 2001. During that span, TCU won one doubles title, coming in 1981 with Karl Richter and David Pate. In 1996, Ashley Fisher and Jason Weir-Smith finished as the runner-ups. Several Horned Frogs reached the round of 16 in singles, but Esteban Carril is the only one to advance to the quarterfinals. Carril made the run his sophomore year in 1999.

HORNED FROGS IN THE RANKINGS
Fabrizio Sestini is the lone Horned Frog among the current singles rankings, coming in at 27th. He is also listed in the doubles ratings at No. 14 with Rafael Abreu. Sestini has been ranked as high as 20th in singles, while he and Abreu have been as high as eighth in doubles. Sestini's current rankings are tops among all C-USA players.

RIVE RECORD BREAKDOWN
Head coach Joey Rivé is in his fifth season with TCU, boasting a 76-45 (.628) record with the Horned Frogs. In his five years, the Frogs have gone 50-14 (.781) in home matches, 9-23 (.281) in away matches and 17-8 (.680) when playing on neutral ground.

C-USA PRAISE THIS SEASON
TCU is once again cleaning up on the Conference USA awards this season. Fabrizio Sestini won at least a share of Player of the Month honors for September, October and November. He shared the honor with his doubles partner, Rafael Abreu, in November. Sestini took home the first Player of the Week accolade in January as well.

TWO FOR THE DECADE
Alex Menichini and Fabrizio Sestini were both named to the C-USA All-Decade Team on Tuesday, April 19. Menichini played at TCU for three seasons after spending the 2000-01 academic year at Fresno State. He was selected to the C-USA First Team in 2003 and 2004. Sestini was C-USA Freshman of the Year in 2002 and a member of the All-Conference Second Team in 2002, 2003 and 2004.

Schedule