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By: Josh Fuller

COLUMBUS – Columbus State University head tennis coach Evan Isaacs has announced the 2017 schedules for the Cougars and Lady Cougars Thursday.
 
The Cougars will play 22 matches this season, while the Lady Cougars will take on 23 teams during the regular season. Both teams will play over 10 matches at the newly opened Cooper Creek Tennis Center.
 
"This is going to be a very challenging schedule for both teams this year," said Isaacs. "We are playing the top competition in the nation to prepare ourselves for a deep run in the NCAA Tournament this spring.
 
"It is also important to bring good competition in to show off the beauty of the Cooper Creek Tennis Center."
 
Both teams will begin the season on the road as the Cougars kick off the year on February 1 taking on Georgia Southwestern in a nonconference match in Americus. On February 4, the Lady Cougars will open up their slate with a match against Anderson in South Carolina. The Cougars will also take on the Trojans.
 
The Cooper Creek Tennis Center will see its first regular season match on February 8 as Shorter visits Columbus. The Cougars will welcome four other nonconference foes to the Cooper Creek Tennis Center in its opening year with Morehouse, West Alabama, Nebraska Kearney and BYU Hawaii. The Lady Cougars will also host Nebraska Kearney and BYU Hawaii, as well as Dallas Baptist, Emory, Northeastern State and UC San Diego.
 
In a neutral site contest on February 18, Columbus State will take on powerhouse Lynn in Savannah.
 
Peach Belt Conference play will begin on February 19 for both teams as Columbus State will travel to Augusta to take on the Jaguars. Other road conference matches this year are at Georgia College, USC Aiken and Francis Marion. The Lady Cougars will also travel to Montevallo to face the Falcons on April 9.
 
CSU will host many of the top PBC teams this season, including Armstrong State on March 25. Young Harris, Georgia Southwestern, Lander, North Georgia and Flagler will also visit Columbus this year. Clayton State will also come to town to face off against the Lady Cougars.
 
At the end of the season, the Cougars will make two road trips to Valdosta State on April 5 and Division I Troy on April 8. Both teams will close out the year in Pensacola, Fla. taking on Xaiver (La.) on April 14 before a showdown with West Florida on April 15. 
 
Both Columbus State tennis teams will begin the season ranked inside the top-10 in the nation as the Cougars are sixth, while the Lady Cougars are eighth in the preseason Intercollegiate Tennis Association poll.  The Cougars have made the NCAA Tournament for nine straight years while, the Lady Cougars have gone to the postseason for the past 15 years, including five straight NCAA Tournament Round of 16 appearances.