Clemson to Open 2008 Men’s Tennis Season

Jan. 18, 2008

Clemson, SC – The Clemson men’s tennis team will open the 2008 season with a double header Sunday afternoon at the Hoke Sloan Tennis Center on the Clemson campus. The matches will be played in the indoor tennis facility.

Clemson will play host to UNC Greensboro at 1:00 p.m. and the The Citadel at 4:00 p.m.

Clemson’s Chuck Kriese will be entering his 33rd and final season as the Head Coach of the Tigers. Entering the 2008 season, he is the fifth winningest active coach in the nation as he has a 670-399 mark during his career.

Kriese will retire at the completion of the 2008 season. This is the longest tenure by a head tennis coach in the history of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Doyle Royal was at Maryland for 27 years during the 1954-80 era. It is also the second longest tenure in Clemson history regardless of sport. Former baseball coach Bill Wilhelm spent 36 years at Clemson (1958-93). Kriese passed former football coach Frank Howard. Howard coached for 30 years (1940-69).

Clemson has three starters returning from last year’s team that finished with a 31-10 record overall and advanced to the NCAA Tournament.