VESTAL, N.Y. - Binghamton men's tennis opens its 24-match spring semester slate with a pair of matches down in Miami. The Bearcats will face the ACC member Hurricanes at 5 p.m. on Saturday and then meet Troy in a neutral site match at noon Sunday at the expansive Neil Schiff Tennis Center in Coral Gables. 

Ninth-year head coach Nick Zieziula has a balance of veterans (4) and newcomers (5) and the team is coming off a four-event fall season that wrapped up in early November. The squad is headed by veterans top-of-the-lineup players Michael Pawlowicz and Kyle Weekes. Weekes won four matches in the fall and captured his flight at the BU/Haggerty Championship. Pawlowicz is a three-year No. 1 player who is rounding back into form after an injury cost him the bulk of his junior season. 

Senior Dan Pergel reached the Round of 32 at the fall ITA Regional and will be another veteran contributor in the lineup. 

Freshman William Morais Binnie won five matches in the fall and heads a group of freshmen looking to make an impact. 

"We've had a great week of prep at Miami," Zieziula said. "It's been a great opportunity for the guys to bond while training at a world class facility in perfect weather. Fortunately, several of our guys are coming back from training outdoors where they were over break so the adjustment to the outdoor tennis has been pretty smooth. For the guys who had to adjust to the outdoors I think the transition has gone well. We got on court right after landing and have been able to get in a lot of sessions. Beyond just the time, the squad has been really dialed in and focused on making the necessary adjustments.

'We've got a great mix of upper classmen with a bit of a chip on their shoulder ready to rebound from a tough go last year with some underclassmen who are working hard to leave their mark," Zieziula added. Michael has worked really hard to come back from ACL tear last year and you could see the confidence rising with each match he got in. Dan and Kyle have been finding much more consistency in their level day in and day out which we will need to get where we want to go. Our freshmen class finished up strong at MAC indoors and they will be a key part of our success this spring."