NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana, an NAIA men's and women's tennis power accustomed to playing NCAA Division I opponents, will gain some of its most exposure ever to that level in 2016.
The Gold Rush and Gold Nuggets will play nine dual matches apiece against NCAA DI's. Of those 18 duals, 10 will be at XU Tennis Center.
Alan Green, in his 13th season as coach of the XU men and women, announced the schedule Friday.
Xavier's men, an NAIA national quarterfinalist each of the past four seasons, will open the spring semester Monday with a morning/afternoon doubleheader at DI Louisiana-Lafayette. The Gold Nuggets, an NAIA semifinalist in 2013 and 2014, will play their first dual Jan. 30 at home against city rival Loyola. The Gold Rush home opener will be that same day against Loyola.
DI opponents visiting Xavier will be the men of Troy, the women of Western Kentucky, Southern Miss and Southern and the men and women of Prairie View A&M, Jackson State and Alcorn State.
During Green's first 12 seasons, his teams averaged nearly six men's duals and nearly seven women's duals per year against NCAA DI's. The Rush and Nuggets have a combined 60 victories against NCAA DI's during that time.
Xavier also will play NAIA powers William Carey and Northwestern Ohio, and the Rush and Nuggets will compete Feb. 19-21 in the Green and Gray Invitational of Georgia Gwinnett, the NAIA men's champion and women's runner-up in 2015.
Green said he is attempting to add more opponents to the schedule.
| 2016 Xavier Tennis Schedule | ||||
| Team(s) | Date(s) | Opponent | Site | Time(s) |
| Men | Jan. 18 (Mon.) | at Louisiana-Lafayette (DH) | Lafayette, La. | 10 and 3 p.m. |
| Both | Jan. 30 (Sat.) | LOYOLA | XU TENNIS CENTER | 10 a.m. |
| Both | Feb. 6 (Sat.) | WILLIAM CAREY | XU TENNIS CENTER | 11 a.m. |
| Both | Feb. 14 (Sun.) | at Nicholls State | Thibodaux, La. | 11 a.m. |
| Both | Feb. 19 (Fri.) | TBA | Lawrenceville, Ga. (1) | TBA |
| Both | Feb. 20 (Sat.) | TBA | Lawrenceville, Ga. (1) | TBA |
| Both | Feb. 21 (Sun.) | TBA | Lawrenceville, Ga. (1) | TBA |
| Women | Feb. 24 (Wed.) | Grambling | Baker, La. | 3 p.m. |
| Men | Feb. 25 (Thu.) | TROY | XU TENNIS CENTER | 3 p.m. |
| Men | Feb. 28 (Sun.) | Presbyterian | Lafayette, La. | 3 p.m. |
| Both | March 4 (Fri.) | at William Carey | Hattiesburg, Miss. | 3 p.m. |
| Women | March 5 (Sat.) | LSU-ALEXANDRIA | XU TENNIS CENTER | Noon |
| Both | March 6 (Sun.) | WILLIAM WOODS | XU TENNIS CENTER | 11 a.m. |
| Women | March 10 (Thu.) | WESTERN KENTUCKY | XU TENNIS CENTER | 3 p.m. |
| Both | March 12 (Sat.) | at Tougaloo # | Jackson, Miss. (2) | 10 a.m. |
| Both | March 12 (Sat.) | at Jackson State | Jackson, Miss. | 2 p.m. |
| Both | March 29 (Tue.) | NORTHWESTERN OHIO | XU TENNIS CENTER | 2 p.m. |
| Women | March 31 (Thu.) | SOUTHERN MISS | XU TENNIS CENTER | 3 p.m. |
| Both | April 2 (Sat.) | PRAIRIE VIEW A&M | XU TENNIS CENTER | 11 a.m. |
| Women | April 6 (Wed.) | SOUTHERN | XU TENNIS CENTER | 3 p.m. |
| Both | April 10 (Sun.) | JACKSON STATE | XU TENNIS CENTER | 1 p.m. |
| Both | April 14 (Thu.) | ALCORN STATE | XU TENNIS CENTER | Noon |
| Both | April 15 (Fri.) | at New Orleans | New Orleans, La. | 2:30 p.m. |
| Both | TBA | NAIA Unaffiliated Group Tournament | TBA | TBA |
| Both | May 17 (Tue.)- May 21 (Sat.) | NAIA National Championships | Mobile, Ala. | TBA |
| # Gulf Coast Athletic Conference dual match (DH) doubleheader (1) Georgia Gwinnett Green and Gray Invitational (2) at Jackson State University Home matches (in bold and CAPITAL LETTERS) are played at XU Tennis Center (capacity 200), Xavier University campus, New Orleans TBA — to be announced All times are Central, except where noted Schedules are subject to change Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director XULAgold.com XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA twitter.com/xulagold www.facebook.com/xulagold | ||||
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