MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama men's tennis team will commence their 2014 campaign this weekend with three matches at the Seminole Quad Tournament.

The Jaguars are scheduled take on Florida A&M and Furman on Saturday before facing the host and 36th-ranked Seminoles on Sunday. However, due to inclement weather, the matches have been moved to an indoor facility and will be played under the Athletic Director Format, which will start with singles play instead of doubles. No time has been officially set for South Alabama's matches on Saturday.

"It is really early in the season to start playing this weekend, but one of our goals this year is to get better every match and peak in April for the Sun Belt Championships," head coach Nick Brochu said. "We are definitely shooting for wins this weekend, but also we look at the first three matches as preparation for a long season. We will play three good teams, including nationally-ranked FSU, to set the tone for the first half of the season.

"It is also a good occasion to test our new doubles combinations. Our top singles guys will have the chance to face ranked players and improve their national ranking."

This weekend marks the third straight season South Alabama will open in Tallahassee. The Jags have earned splits the last two years, losing twice to FSU but defeating Furman in 2011 and FAMU in 2012.

Florida State leads the all-time series with South Alabama 13-6 and has won six in a row, all while ranked No. 44 or higher.

The Seminoles are led by Benjamin Lock who is 61st in the preseason spring ITA singles rankings and is No. 9 in doubles with partner Marco Nunez. Lock and Nunez have a 12-2 fall record and advanced to the semifinals of the USTA/ITA National Indoor Championships in November.

South Alabama has won all three meetings with Furman, including a 7-0 sweep in 2012 in Tallahassee, and lead the series with Florida A&M 6-1. The Rattlers and Jaguars have met in each of the previous four seasons.

USA junior Daniel Leitner (Niederfischbach, Germany) enters the weekend ranked No. 117 by the ITA in singles after posting a 7-4 record in the fall. Last season at Florida State he won in straight sets (6-2, 6-2) at No. 1 over Jordan Kelly-Houston.

Leitner's seven fall wins are tied for the most on the team with senior Shayann Vaezzadeh (Bavent, France), who posted a 7-3 mark.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

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