The Blue Raider men’s tennis team faces another rigorous slate in 2012, as announced by head coach Jimmy Borendame on Monday. Middle Tennessee will face four teams from the 2011 NCAA Championship, including three on the road.

“We have a challenging schedule once again this year, and we’ll face some of the best teams in the nation,” Borendame said. “Playing tough opponents on their home court will help prepare us to defend our Sun Belt tournament title at the end of April and make another trip to the NCAA Regionals.”

The reigning Sun Belt champs open the season with three consecutive roadtrips to participants from last year’s NCAA Championship, beginning with a short venture up the road to Vanderbilt on Jan. 18. Two days later, the team will travel to Blacksburg, Va., for the Virginia Tech Shootout. In addition to the Hokies, MT will face Columbia and Davidson during the three-day tournament. The Blue Raiders conclude the road swing at Auburn on Jan. 29.

MT hosts the first of four straight home matches on Jan. 29, facing Chattanooga at the Nashboro Village Athletic Club. The Blue Raiders welcome Northwestern and Brown on back-to-back days (Feb. 10-11), then wrap up the home stretch against ETSU on Feb. 18.

MT will break from action for one weekend before heading to Texas. The Blue Raiders will play at the HEB Classic in Corpus Christi March 2-3 before heading to San Antonio for a match at UTSA.

The Blue Raiders return to Murfreesboro for their first contest at the Buck Bouldin Tennis Center on March 10 against IUPUI and remain at home to host Belmont March 15.

After a trip to Memphis on March 24, the Blue Raiders head back to Murfreesboro for the Sun Belt Shootout March 31-April 1. Troy, South Alabama, Georgia State, DePaul, Florida Atlantic, Austin Peay and Southern Illinois will join MT for the tournament at the Buck Bouldin Tennis Center.

The Blue Raiders then host Lipscomb on April 4 before hitting the road for a pair of matches at Conference USA foes Southern Miss (April 6) and Tulane (April 7).

MT concludes its home slate on April 10 when UAB comes to town and wraps up the 2012 regular season in Tampa, Fla., facing USF on April 13 and UCF on April 14.

The Blue Raiders will look to defend their league title at the Sun Belt Championships April 19-22 in Denton, Texas.

All Blue Raider home matches are free and open to the public.