The UNM men's tennis team has big shoes to fill in 2009.
Last year, the Lobos finished with a spring record of 20-9 - the most wins for the program in 20 years - and a share of the Mountain West Conference regular-season title.
Entering this season, the Lobos are ranked 42nd in preseason Intercollegiate Tennis Association polls.
Head coach Alan Dils said the Lobos will rely on the experience of veterans to lead the team.
"Our seniors are great," he said. "I see them all stepping up in a leadership role this year. Johnny (Parkes) has always been an outspoken leader on the team, and Graeme (Kassautzki) leads by example."
Kassautzki enters the 2009 season ranked No. 83 nationally, and Parkes boasts a regional No. 2 ranking. In addition, Parkes teamed up with fellow senior Miles Bugby to reach the ITA Mountain Regional finals in doubles on Oct. 19.
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However, Kassautzki said the preseason rankings mean nothing.
"Rankings are just numbers," he said. "If anything, they put a big target on your back, because other guys want to beat you. I think we can feed off that."
Dils said one of the keys to success will be getting the new players experience at the college level. The Lobos have four freshmen on their roster.
"We have a completely new lineup," Dils said. "We did some good recruiting, and we brought some talented guys to UNM. I would say we probably have one of the deepest teams we've ever had."
Newcomers include Phil Anderson, Ben Dunbar, Carl Ho and Matt Neeld. Ho made his debut as a Lobo this fall, capturing the Balloon Fiesta Invite with four singles wins Oct. 10-12.
Dils said having a talented team is a blessing and a curse.
"It gives us a lot of options for the lineup," he said. "We have a number of guys I feel confident putting on the court. But it has its pitfalls, too. Everyone can make a case for playing, and we only have six singles slots."
Regardless, Parkes said UNM's goals for the season are clear.
"We want to reach the NCAA Tournament," he said. "Last year, we were close, losing to TCU in the championship match, but this year we want to bring the trophy back to Albuquerque."
The Lobos will host the MWC Championships on April 23-25.
Parkes said hosting the tournament will be an advantage.
"We get a lot of support from our fans," he said. "They get to see home matches, but the MWC tournament is completely different. They'll get to see how much we fight for the school."
The Lobos open the season against No. 44 Indiana today at the UNM Tennis Complex at 6 p.m. On Sunday, the Lobos square off against No. 75 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
"It will be an exciting weekend for us," Bugby said. "We are playing two very good teams that can't be taken lightly. On the other hand, we want to start the season off with a couple of wins."
UNM vs. Indiana
Today, 6 p.m.
UNM Tennis Complex
