No. 5 Virginia Set to Host ITA Kickoff Weekend Matches

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. –  The No. 5 Virginia men’s tennis team (2-0) hosts ITA Kickoff Weekend matches at the Boar’s Head Sports Club this Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 25-26.

MATCH INFORMATION

• Live courts streams and live scores will be available for the matches with links posted on VirginiaSports.com
• Virginia will be part of the Cracked Racquets CrossCourt Coverage, available on their YouTube channel
• Admission is free

ITA KICKOFF WEEKEND SCHEDULE

• Saturday, Jan. 25, 9 am – No. 19 Alabama (2-0) vs. VCU (0-1)
• Saturday, Jan. 25, 12 pm – No. 5 Virginia (2-0) vs. Boise State (0-0)
• Sunday, Jan. 26, 10 am – Consolation Match
• Sunday, Jan. 26, 1 pm – Championship Match

ABOUT ITA KICKOFF WEEKEND

• The ITA Kickoff Weekend is one of the marquee events of the spring season bringing together the top 56 men’s and women’s college tennis teams for a weekend of intense competition. Hosted by 14 men’s and women’s programs from across the country, the ITA Kickoff Weekend is an early-season test for teams against programs they might not typically face
• Not just playing for pride, the stakes will be high for Kickoff Weekend play as all 112 competing teams are looking to be just one of the 14 teams from each gender to advance to the ITA National Team Indoor Championships
• Each season, the ITA Kickoff Weekend field is determined by the ITA Kickoff Weekend Draft which is held in the summer months after the dual-match season. The Top 14 ranked teams in the final ITA Rankings of the season will automatically serve as hosts for both men’s and women’s teams
• In the draft, teams and coaches have the opportunity to choose where they would like to play. The picks start with the No. 15 ranked team and conclude with the No. 56 ranked team (or until all 56 spots are filled)
• With four teams playing at each host site, the winning teams from the opening round will meet in the second round to determine who advances to the 2025 ITA National Team Indoor Championships
• The winner of the Charlottesville regional will earn a spot in the ITA National Team Indoor Championships, being held Feb. 13-17 in Dallas or Waco, Texas

CAVALIER NOTES

• The Cavaliers stayed at No. 5 in this week’s ITA team rankings
• Dylan Dietrich was named the ACC Player of the Week after going 2-0 in singles, helping the Cavaliers open the season with a pair of victories. Dietrich clinched Virginia’s 6-1 victory over Old Dominion with a 7-6 (6), 3-6, 7-6 (4) win over No. 70 Connor van Schalkwyk. He also defeated Casey Hoole in straight sets in Virginia’s season-opening 5-2 win at No. 15 South Carolina.
• Keegan Rice was named ACC Freshman of the Week. Rice picked up his first career dual match victories, topping No. 55 Sean Daryabeigi 6-7 (6), 7-5, 3-0 (Ret) of South Carolina and winning in straight-sets against Old Dominion. Rice and partner James Hopper also defeated No. 41 Adam Majchrzak and Cosme Rolland De Ravel of ODU 6-3 in doubles.
• James Hopper went 2-0 last week, winning both of his singles matches at No. 5 to start the season
• Jangjun Kim made his collegiate debut for the Cavaliers last week, starting the season 2-0 at No. 6
• Dietrich and partner Mans Dahlberg are 2-0 in dual matches at No. 1 doubles to begin the season
• The Cavaliers have won six ITA National Team Indoor Championships, including four straight from 2008 to 2011 and most recently in 2017 when the tournament was held in Charlottesville
• Virginia has only failed to advance out of ITA Kickoff Weekend twice in the previous 16 tournaments
• Virginia is 3-1 all-time against Boise State. The Broncos last victory against UVA was in 1998
• Virginia is 4-0 all-time against Alabama and 19-11 all-time against VCU. UVA’s last loss to the Rams came in 2000

ON THE HORIZON

• The Cavaliers will host No. 3 Ohio State on Friday, Jan. 31 at 6 p.m. in a rematch of the 2023 NCAA final
• The Cavaliers finish the weekend, hosting No. 1 Texas on Sunday, Feb. 2 at 11:30 a.m.