RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley's (UTRGV) men's tennis team is familiar with the scenario ahead – on Thursday at 9 a.m., the #5 Vaqueros will play the #4 Seattle U Redhawks in the first round of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Tennis Tournament. 
 
These teams faced off a week and a half ago with Seattle U taking a tight 4-3 win. Last year, the Redhawks (4-13) also won the regular season contest between these programs. They faced off in the first round of the 2023 WAC Tournament shortly after, and the Vaqueros got their revenge, picking up a 4-2 win behind Emilien Burnel's clinch at No. 1 singles for their first WAC Tournament win since 2018. 
 
The Vaqueros (8-16) feel they have an advantage since UTRGV is hosting the tournament at the HEB Tennis Center at Pendleton Park in Harlingen. They know the facility and they're used to the weather, which is expected to be warm and sunny and could cause problems for a team used to playing indoors. 
 
"Anytime you know that last time you played the same team in the same spot you got a good result, it comes with a little confidence. But we all know it's a different team for us this year, it's a different team for them," head coach Nathan Robinson said. "Our guys are very locked in and ready to get on the courts tomorrow. Nobody else in our conference has those same conditions – the heat, the humidity, the wind – that we practice in every day, especially in April. And we didn't have to jump on a flight or drive far. We're home, we're comfortable, we're relaxed and we're enjoying being in our element." 
 
The Vaqueros are focused and determined to make a run this weekend. They've been working hard, mixing up doubles teams, and they're ready to go. UTRGV hopes to see a lot of supporters enjoying this high-level event. 
 
Admission is free and the public is encouraged to attend. All matches can be watched live on ESPN+ and WACInternational.tv. 
 
"Our guys are very, very confident. They feel good about themselves. We've been working really hard over the last couple of days," Robinson said. "Hopefully we'll have lots of orange in the stands and lots of fans. That'll be big for us. Our guys really enjoy it and feed off of it." 

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