GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Tusculum College has released its 2009-10 men's tennis schedule announced Pioneer head coach Tommy Arnett. Tusculum will play 21 regular-season matches along with two fall tournaments. The schedule will culminate with the 2010 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Tournament during the week of Apr. 19-25.

Coach Arnett returns two All-South Atlantic Conference standouts Henrique Rodrigues (Salvador-Bahia, Brazil) and Steven Lin (Ping Dong, Taiwan). The Pioneers posted a 14-10 record last season and a runner-up finish in the SAC Tournament. Tusculum has recorded nine straight winning seasons, including the last eight in a row under Coach Arnett.

The regular-season slate begins Sept. 18 with the Pioneers hosting Covenant College. Tusculum will spend the next two weekends on the road. On Sept. 19-20, the Pioneers will make the short trek to Johnson City, Tenn. to play in the East Tennessee State University Fall Invitational Tournament. The weekend of Sept. 25-27 has Tusculum at the Brevard College Fall Invitational Tournament.

The Pioneers start the month of October with an Oct. 3 match-up at Johnson C. Smith University. Tusculum beat the Golden Bulls 9-0 last year in Greeneville. The team ends their fall schedule with a trip to West Virginia to take on Bluefield State College on Oct. 11.

Tusculum opens its spring schedule on Feb. 20 with a home match against in-state opponent Milligan College. On Feb. 25 the Pioneers travel to Bristol, Tenn. to take on another in-state foe King College. Tusculum returns home Feb. 27 with a match against the University of Virginia's College at Wise.

The Pioneers open South Atlantic Conference play Mar. 4 as they travel to Hickory, N.C. to take on Lenoir-Rhyne University. Tusculum returns home to encounter North Greenville University on Mar. 5. On Mar. 6 the Pioneers head to Florence, S.C. to face national power Francis Marion University. The Patriots advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament last year and ended the season ranked No. 18 in the country.

TC will spend their spring break at Hilton Head Island, S.C. to play three matches in four days. Tusculum starts their spring break against East Stroudsburg University on Mar. 8, followed by a match against Young Harris College the following day. The team will get a day off before returning back to action against Tiffin University on Mar. 11.

The Pioneers return home to start a stretch of seven straight South Atlantic Conference matches. Tusculum will host defending SAC Champion Wingate University Mar. 19. The two teams split last year's matches. The Bulldogs won the regular season match-up, while Tusculum eliminated Wingate 5-4 in the SAC Tournament semifinal. The Pioneers stay at home to take on Catawba College on Mar. 20. Tusculum travels to Jefferson City, Tenn. Mar. 24 to take on rival Carson-Newman College. The team will continue SAC play when they return home against Brevard College on Mar. 27.

Tusculum travels to South Carolina to take on Newberry College on Mar. 28 before returning home Mar. 30 to face cross-mountain rival Mars Hill College in a rematch of last year's SAC Tournament championship. Tusculum finishes out the conference season Apr. 2 with a visit to Lincoln Memorial University.

The Pioneers conclude the regular season with visits from two national powerhouses. On Apr. 9 Tusculum will take on future South Atlantic Conference member Anderson (S.C.) University. The team hosts Lander University Apr. 11 to close out the regular season.

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