The Georgetown men’s tennis team begins its spring season today at the VCU  4+1 Invitational. Ten different men’s squads are headed to Richmond, Va. for the tournament.

The Hoyas will play both of their tournament matches today, facing VCU in the morning and Campbell University in the afternoon.

Head Coach Gordie Ernst knows what to expect from both opponents.

“VCU has been in the NCAA finals before. They are a very talented squad with a lot of foreign players and experience,” Ernst said. “We expect Campbell to not be as challenging.”

After losing some crucial players to graduation, Ernst is looking for his sophomores and juniors to step up this season.

“Anthony Tan, Will Lowell and David Tillem were three of my first recruits. They helped me shape the team and turn this into a competitive program,” Ernst said. “At first their loss hurt the team, but our captains, [seniors] Bryan Miller and Andrew Bruhn have learned from them. They have done a great job keeping the team’s commitment level high.”

Ernst is pleased with the team’s work ethic going into the season and is counting on it to make a difference against teams that boast more highly touted players.

“Our opponents may have more talent,” Ernst said. “But our sophomores and juniors have learned what it takes to be dedicated.”

The VCU tournament will be a test that reveals who is ready to play.

“We have two abbreviated matches in one day, but they still count,” Ernst said. “Tomorrow we will see who the top six players are.”

Last season the men’s squad made it to the Big East tournament for the fifth consecutive year. The Hoyas went into the tournament as the seventh seed and fell 4-0 to No. 2 Notre Dame in the first round. Bruhn was part of the No. 1 doubles pair that lost in a close 8-5 decision.

After finishing the 2009-2010 season with a losing record of 10-12, Ernst has set new goals for the Blue and Gray this year.

“Most importantly, we want to have a winning record. We need to play well during the season so we can get a higher seed in the Big East tournament,” Ernst said. “We are going to try to knock off a higher seeded conference team like St. John’s in-season so we can increase our tournament seed.”

There may even be an opportunity for revenge.

“In the tournament we may see a top-20 team like Notre Dame,” Ernst said.

Ernst is confident that his players are ready for the season to begin.

“[Junior] Mike Clark and Andrew Bruhn have been in the lineup for years. They have had losses in the past but have a much better attitude this year,” Ernst said. “They know the drill now. Our players know it’s time to step up and knock off the big opponents.”