Sept. 27, 2006

The University of South Carolina men’s tennis team will serve it up for the first time this fall when the Gamecocks travel to Chapel Hill, N.C., to participate in the UNC Fall Invitational this weekend. Play begins on Friday, Sept. 29, and runs through Sunday, Oct. 1.

“It’s the first tournament of the year,” coach Kent DeMars said. “There should 20 schools or more there and it will give us a barometer of where we are right now.”

A group of four returning players in senior Pedro Rodrigues, junior Yevgeny Supeko, redshirt sophomore Thomas Stoddard and junior Joseph Veeder will lead the Gamecocks into the weekend. True freshmen Pedro Campos, Spencer Feldman and David Wolff will have their first taste of collegiate competition.

“Not only do we want the returning players to get back into playing shape, we want to see where our three new guys fit in and decide where they are in our lineup,” DeMars added. “That’s really what the fall is about. It also gives us a chance to correct any problems players might be having with their games.”

This weekend’s event is the first of four fall tournaments for the Gamecocks. South Carolina will play host to its own USC Fall Invitational, Oct. 13-15.