Oct. 1, 2009

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Memphis men's tennis team travels to Chattanooga, Tenn., this weekend for the Steve Baras Memorial Tournament hosted by the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga at the Champions Club from Fri., Oct. 2 to Sun., Oct. 4. The men's side of the tournament bracket will consist of 15 schools including UTC, Austin Peay, Belmont, Eastern Kentucky, Jacksonville State, Kennesaw State, Lee, Lipscomb, Memphis, Mercer, Middle Tennessee, North Alabama, Southern Illinois, Tennessee and UNC Greensboro. The tournament field will consist of 190 college tennis players (men's and women's), the largest in the history of the tournament.

Singles action will begin at 9:30 a.m., on Fri., Oct. 2 at the Champions Club. Doubles play will commence on Sat., Oct. 3, at 8 a.m.

The Tigers are travelling eight players to the Steve Baras Memorial Tournament. Charlie Ramsay, a senior returning to his home city of Chattanooga, Tenn., will compete in the A1 singles bracket and will begin the tournament with a match against William John of UNC-Greensboro. Ramsay finished the 2009 spring season with an 11-11 record at the No. 3 and No. 4 positions for the Tigers last season.

Michael Hayes, a senior from London, England, will open singles play on Friday against Roberto Vieira of UTC. Hayes will be competiting in the A2 singles draw. Hayes was 12-5 at the No. 5 and No. 6 slots for Memphis after joining Paul Goebel's squad in the spring.

Michael Gaerthoeffner, a junior from Rheine, Germany, will take part in the B1 singles draw this weekend. Gaerthoeffner will face-off with Felipe Watanabe of Jacksonville State on Friday. Gaerthoeffner finished his sophomore season with a record of 13 wins and nine losses at the No. 4, No. 5 and No. 6 spots.

Michael Janz, a newcomer from Lousanne, Switzerland, will compete in his first tournament as a Memphis Tiger this weekend. Janz will also partake in the B1 singles draw and will open competition against Rodrigo Amaral of Belmont.

Sophomore David Henry, also a product of the Chattanooga area, will return home this weekend and compete in the B2 singles bracket. Henry will face Amar Subasic of Austin Peay State in the first round.

Newcomer John Taylor, a transfer from Utah originally from Burlington, Ontario, will take on Nenad Marcec of Jacksonville State of Jacksonville State in the C1 singles flight. Taylor played No. 4 singles for the Utes during the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons. He was also a member of Utah's 2007-08 Mountain West Conference Championship squad.

Junior Jordan Smith, a native of Memphis, will also compete in the C1 singles draw. Smith will take on Rick van de Bouenkamp of UTC on Friday. Smith was 3-4 at the No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 singles slots last season.

Senior Spencer Heflin will compete in the C2 singles bracket this weekend. The native of Germantown, Tenn., will face-off with Johnny Murrell of Belmont on Friday. Heflin was 2-2 in singles as a junior.

In doubles, Heflin and Taylor will compete in the A1 doubles draw beginning on Saturday. The pair will take on Lee's Tyler Jeffers and Michael Yokauk. Also in doubles, the tandem of Henry and Smith will take on Gianni Kubin and Gokolp Ozdemir of Kennesaw State and Hayes and Ramsay will battle Dave Barton and Evandron Rosindo of Mercer.