KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The Kutztown University men's tennis team is heading into the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championships as the number one seed and the defending champions. The Golden Bears first square off against No. 4 West Chester University in the seminal match on Thursday, April 17.
 
The start time is scheduled for 12 p.m. at West Chester's South Campus Tennis Courts. The Golden Rams will host all of the matches in the tournament. If victorious, Kutztown will take on the winner of the No. 2/3 semifinal match between Edinboro University and Mercyhurst University. The PSAC Championship will be played Friday, April 18 at 9 a.m. in West Chester.
 
The Golden Bears have gone a flawless 5-0 in PSAC play this season. KU kicked off the spring season with indoor victories against Edinboro University (6-3) and Mercyhurst University (9-0). Kutztown went on a three-match tear after spring break, defeating Millersville University (9-0), Bloomsburg University (7-2), and West Chester (6-3).
 
Rushi Amin (Orefield, PA/Lake Brantley) has been a feared opponent in the PSAC throughout his career and his senior season has been no exception. Last year's PSAC Athlete of the Year, Amin has gone 11-3 in dual matches at the No. 1 singles flight this season and is 15-2 overall with Varun Desai (Mumbai, India/K.C. College) in doubles competition. The duo went on to win the Individual Doubles Championship at the PSAC's in the fall. Amin won the Singles Championship as a junior, but could not repeat this year due to Desai. Amin defeated likely WCU opponent Jared Howat 6-3, 6-3 earlier in the season.
 
This year's PSAC Singles Champion, Desai completes the one-two punch with Amin at the top of the KU lineup. Desai leads the team with a 17-1 overall record in singles, while going 12-1 at the No. 2 singles spot in dual matches. The junior will likely take on WCU's Connor Dunn, who he defeated 6-3, 6-0 in the dual match.
 
Matthew Maguire is likely to fill the No. 3 singles spot. The junior has gone 6-6 in the third slot this season and 8-7 overall in singles competition. Maguire and Rich Lichtenwalner (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) hold a 6-4 overall record in doubles this season, while Maguire and Ken Beebe (Landenberg, Pa./Kennett) are 7-1 when playing at the No. 3 doubles slot. Maguire defeated WCU's Chaz Irwin 6-0, 6-1 at No. 3 during the dual match.
 
Patricio Hernandez (Mexico City, Mexico/Colegio Vista Hermosa), strictly a singles player, boasts a 6-4 record at the No. 4 flight and an 8-5 overall record. The sophomore took down WCU's Lars Kristiansen 6-1, 3-6, 10-6 at No. 4 singles.
 
Lichtenwalner has also seen some time at No. 4 singles with a 4-1 record. He has also played in the No. 3 & 5 spot, holding an 11-5 overall record in singles this season. Lichtenwalner and Ben Nace (Spring Grove, Pa./Delone Catholic) are 5-3 when playing No. 2 doubles this year. Against West Chester, Lichtenwalner lost to Cody Leimback at the No. 5 flight (6-2, 6-2).
 
Nace adds solid depth at the end of the KU starting lineup, boasting a 10-1 overall singles record this season. He will most likely take the No. 6 singles post where he has gone 7-1 this season. Nace and Beebe are 3-3 at the third doubles flight this year.
 
Kutztown has won the title in four of the past five years and 11 times since 2000. The only other school to win since then has been Bloomsburg in 2003, 2008, and 2012.