SAN ANTONIO – For the 42nd-ranked UTSA men's tennis team (16-5), the home schedule extends a little further on Tuesday morning, as the Roadrunners host UT Rio Grande Valley (6-17) in a late-addition match at the UTSA Tennis Center at 11:00 a.m.
In a final tune-up before heading to the Conference USA Championships this weekend in Houston, the Roadrunners will square off with the Vaqueros for the 19th time – UTSA holds a 17-2 advantage in the series and UTSA is 8-1 since the merger of UT Brownsville and UT Pan American formed the UTRGV program.
UTSA is pursuing its ninth consecutive win over UTRGV in Tuesday's match.
At No. 42, the Roadrunners are in their eighth consecutive week ranked in the national top 50, and ninth week ranked overall. At 16-5, the Roadrunners are a single win shy of matching the last Conference USA champion and NCAA-qualifying squad – the 2015 team. The Roadrunners saw a heartbreaking end arrive to their nation-leading win streak at a program record 14 consecutive victories on a gritty 4-3 loss at 71st-ranked Rice on the absolute final points of a third-set tiebreaker. Tuesday provides an opportunity to kick off a new streak ahead of the league tournament.
Pacing the individual victories toward UTSA's 63-41 singles record this season, McAllen, Texas junior Alan Magadan is 13-6, while Bosnian sophomore Danijal Muminovic (11-6) is next in line for the Roadrunners. Playing largely on court five, Muminovic was named to the Conference USA All-Academic team late last week – only the third Roadrunner to receive the honor.
In doubles play, Magadan again is topping the UTSA ranks at 11-6 overall, sporting an 8-2 record when playing with Lisbon, Portrugal sophomore Tiago Torres. The pair of Magadan and Sebastian Rodriguez are among the national rankings at No. 28, following the duo's fall ITA Texas Region Championship and national quarterfinal appearance. Oporto, Portrugal-native sophomore Tomás Pinho is also 11-7 and 7-1 when partnered with Rodriguez.
About UTRGV
There is potential that the Vaqueros could arrive in San Antonio a bit road weary, having played road contests at Seattle on Friday and then at Grand Canyon on Sunday. UTRGV enters Tuesday's contest with a 6-17 record and are looking to snap a three-match losing streak. The last two UTRGV victories came against New Mexico State and BYU, both back home in Edinburg, Texas. Coming out of La Teste-De-Bush, France, junior Emilien Burnel is the clear standout for the Vaqueros, logging a 14 wins on the top solo courts and boasts a 15-7 doubles record.
Up Next
After facing the Vaqueros, UTSA makes the return to Houston with a Conference USA title in mind later in the week, heading back to Rice's George R. Brown Tennis Center for the league tournament, Friday, April 21 to Sunday, April 23. The Roadrunners are slated as the No. 2 seed behind No. 28 Middle Tennessee State. Lined up with a first-round BYE, UTSA will face the winner of No. 60 FAU and Charlotte on Saturday, April 22, at 12:00 p.m.
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