SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. – Coming off a fruitful fall season that saw the Pirates capture six titles in four tournaments, the Seton Hall tennis team has announced 20 dates that will make up the team’s Spring 2013 schedule.

SHU will make its return to competition at the Cornell Tournament on Friday, January 25, a three-day competition that will precede a loaded dual match slate. The team will square off with some of the highest-rated teams in the region including two members of last year’s NCAA field and square off with seven different BIG EAST teams.

For the second consecutive year, the Pirates will kick-off head-to-head play by traveling to upstate New York to take on defending Patriot League champions Army (Feb. 2) and perennial America East power Binghamton (Feb. 3) on back-to-back days.

Seton Hall will then return for its only home match prior to spring break when they play host to Fordham (Feb. 9) at the Westfield Racquet Club in Westfield, N.J. Last season, the Pirates came within one point of defeating a Rams team that was ranked #73 in the nation when the two squads met in Orlando, Fla.

A showdown with local rival Saint Peter’s the next day starts a run of three-straight matches against in-state competition for The Hall. The Pirates will look to assert themselves as one of the strongest teams in the region by facing tough road tests at NJIT (Feb. 15) and a Princeton team that finished 2012 rated #70 in the country (Feb. 17).

SHU will travel to Annapolis, Md. for two matches the following week, making the trek to the home of the U.S. Naval Academy for the fourth consecutive spring. The Pirates will face off with Towson (Feb. 23) before closing the trip with a match against Navy (Feb. 24). In 2009-10, SHU also squared off with the Tigers and Midshipmen in a two-day span, leaving Annapolis with a pair of 4-3 victories.

A Saturday night (Mar. 2) primetime affair at 2012 MAAC champions Fairfield leads the Pirates into their five-day spring break trip to the Golden State.

From March 4 to March 9, the tennis team will be in sunny San Diego, California, a stretch that will feature three matches against local competition. The squad will begin play against San Diego State (Mar. 5) before taking on Vanguard University (Mar. 6) and Point Loma Nazarene (Mar. 7).

Upon their return, the Pirates will receive a brief respite before hitting the road again to start their BIG EAST slate at Syracuse (Mar. 23). The team will meet Providence in a neutral court showdown the following day; with SHU looking for a fifth consecutive win over the Friars.

On March 28, the Pirates will finally return to their home court as they take on Georgetown in a rematch of the 2012 BIG EAST Championship opening round before the Villanova Wildcats come to town on April 5. Seton Hall has won four of its last six matches with VU, including a 4-3 win on the road last season.

The squad will then travel to meet Connecticut (Apr. 7) and rival Rutgers (Apr. 10) before concluding the regular season by hosting St. John’s on April 13, a match that will serve as senior day for Karina Cordero (Maracay Estado Aragua, Venezuela).

The 2013 BIG EAST Championship will be hosted by USF in Tampa, Fla. from April 18-April 21. The 2013 tournament will feature every competing school in the conference, a change from 2012 when all six returning players played a major role in helping the Pirates earn a berth to the conference championship for the first time in five years.

Notable Spring 2013 Dates

Fri., Jan. 25 - Sun., Jan. 27: Cornell Tournament - Spring Season begins

Sat., Feb. 9: vs. Fordham at Westfield Racquet Club - 2013 Home Opener

Mon., Mar. 4 - Sat., Mar. 9: Spring Break trip to San Diego, Calif.

Thurs., Mar. 28: vs. Georgetown - BIG EAST Home Opener

Sat., Apr. 13: vs. St. John's - Senior Day

Click HERE to view the entire spring schedule.

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