Feb. 5, 2013

TUCSON -

The Arizona Wildcat men's tennis team will head to the Jim Reffkin Tennis Center, in Tucson, for two matches on Sat., and Sun., Feb. 16 and 17. The Reffkin Tennis Center is located at 50 S. Alvernon Way, at the corner of Broadway and Alvernon.

On Saturday, the Cats will take on New Mexico at noon. Reffkin Tennis Center will host a BBQ Tailgate beginning at 11:30 and food and drink are free to spectators. The event has garnered anticipation from the Gooter Foundation and has amassed 250 RSVPs so far.

On Sunday, the events continue as Arizona plays UC Riverside with the match set to begin at noon.

The Reffkin Tennis Center is home to 25 lighted tennis courts and is the largest public facility in the Southwest. The center was named the USTA Outstanding Facility of the Year in 1993.

Arizona head coach Tad Berkowitz enters his ninth season at the helm of the program. He was named the Pac-10 Men's Tennis Coach of the Year and the Wilson/ITA West Region Coach of the Year in 2008-09. Berkowitz was promoted to the head coaching position in the spring of 2005 after serving as hall-of-famer Bill Wright's assistant.

The Cats (5-0, 0-0 Pac-12) return seven players from the 2011-12 season including the season's most winning player Kieren Thompson. The team also welcomes four new players to the roster, including junior transfer Fredrik Ask who boasts a perfect singles record so far this season. Also earning flawless singles records in this season's matches are Thompson and sophomore Sumeet Shinde.

The Cats have the opportunity to improve to 6-0 before the event at Reffkin Tennis Center. This weekend, the Cats will take their first road trip of the season as they travel to San Diego, Calif. to play the San Diego Toreros.