GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum College Men's tennis team will open its 2009-10 campaign this Friday against Covenant College at the Nichols Tennis Complex starting at 4 p.m.

The Pioneers return four letter-winners from last year's team that posted a 14-10 record and a runner-up finish in the South Atlantic Conference Tournament. Among those returners are All-SAC standouts Steven Lin and Henrique Rodrigues.

Lin, a 5-11, 155-pound sophomore from Ping Dong, Taiwan, posted a 15-4 singles record in his rookie season, including 6-2 in league play earning him All-SAC second team honors. He also played strong in doubles posting a 12-6 worksheet, including 6-2 in conference play.

Rodrigues, a senior from Salvador-Bahia, Brazil is back for his final collegiate campaign. The 6-2, 175-pounder earned All-SAC Second Team honors for the second time in his career last season. Rodrigues went 8-12 in singles play at the top two flights last year. He also recorded an 11-5 doubles record, including 6-2 in SAC matches.

Also back this year are sophomores Paulo Dos Santos, Jr. and Drew Kiser. Santos, a 6-0, 160-pound sophomore from Rondania, Brazil played in five matches last season with a record of 2-3. Kiser, a sophomore from Bristol, Tenn. had a solid rookie season. The 6-2, 165-pounder posted a 14-5 record including a 6-2 conference slate at the No. 6 spot.

Two newcomers will be looking to make an impact for the Pioneers and three-time SAC Coach of the Year Tommy Arnett.

Luis Zamora, a 6-2, 180-pound rookie from Santiago, Chile, attended Universidad Catolica. There he won the national doubles tennis championship and is currently the fifth-ranked U18 player in Chile, up two spots from last year. He earned national champion status at doubles in 2008 and has participated in every National Singles Tournament as a junior player.

Oliver Smith, a 5-11, 160-pound transfer from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and a native of Winchester, Hampshire, England, helped lead his junior college team to a No. 3 ranking in the nation for the last two seasons. Last year, Smith captured the NJCAA Regional doubles title, while advancing to the regional semifinals in singles play. When he wrapped up his career at ABAC, he was ranked 15th in the nation in doubles. During his freshman season he garnered NJCAA All-America honors in singles and was a top 20 ranked doubles player.

The Pioneers will play three matches and two tournaments this fall. Tusculum will play in the ETSU Tournament this weekend in Johnson City, Tenn. Next weekend the team will head to Brevard College to take part in the Brevard Fall Invitational. Tusculum will play a match at Johnson C. Smith University (Oct. 3) before closing out the fall season at Bluefield State College (Oct. 11).

- TC -