San Francisco, CA -- This year, the Urban Knights are looking at a women's tennis schedule that will see a lot of traveling, but also a lot of experience. Academy of Art University will play 16 matches on the road, and only have three home dates on the schedule, with a majority of those road contests coming in the two big conference tournaments during the first month of the season. The Knights will also face a number of top-ranked opponents as they venture into a tough schedule from start to finish and figure to be battling in every matchup of 2012.

"I think we need to build up our schedule. Our goal is to play a national schedule if we are to get to the national tournament," first-year head coach Jerry Peach said. "I have seen teams with weak schedules come up against a tough group and the team with the weaker opponents in the past have little to rely on as far as experience. Also, teams with no success begin to act like they cannot win. Teams who win close matches are my favorites, as they find a way. Those teams are the ones who succeed in the long run."

The Knights will kick off the season with their first match on February 4th against soon-to-be PacWest foe Fresno Pacific University at home, but then head out on the first of their many road trips. After facing off against the Sunbirds for the first time in program history, they'll head out and try to beat the heat in Arizona at the Grand Canyon Tournament from February 9-12.

Once in Glendale, the Urban Knights will take on a full slate of conference opponents. Unlike past years, which had the Hawaiian schools in the PacWest relegated to the end of the year conference championships, Academy of Art will have a chance to see their island counterparts early on in the year, and their first tasks won't be easy. On the first day of the tournament (Feb. 9), they'll be squaring off against BYU-Hawaii, who finished last year ranked third in Division II but lost to Lynn University in the Round of 16 in last year's NCAA Tennis Championships.

The second day (Feb. 10) sees the Knights playing two matches, taking on Hawaii Hilo in the morning and host Grand Canyon in the afternoon. The 'Lopes were ranked 14th in the country and third in the West Region at the end of last year. Then ART U will take on the Silverswords of Chaminade before their final match of the tournament against UC San Diego. The Tritons were also ranked at the year's end last season, finishing as the 18th best team in the country and the fourth in the West Region.

"Playing in Phoenix will give us a tremendous lift, as the matches at the Paseo Tennis Center are never rained out and everyone is ready to go," said Coach Peach. "BYU-Hawaii and Hawaii Pacific are national contenders every year; Hilo and Chaminade are very good. Nothing has changed in the past few years."

At the end of the month, the Urban Knights will return home and take on Sonoma State on the San Francisco Tennis Club courts on February 25th. Then they hit the road again for a match against Cal State Stanislaus on February 26th, rounding out a busy first month for Academy of Art.

"We are at a disadvantage for February," says Coach Peach, who was hired at the end of October. "Now, because of the late start of school, not all the players will be here much before the start of the February play. February will be a hard-working month for everyone. Practice will be intense and matches between teammates will be played to determine our line-up."

After February, it doesn't get any easier for the Urban Knights, who will get right back on the plane for St. George, Utah, for the Dixie State Tournament. The Knights face the host Red Storm on March 2nd, and hope to continue their success against Dixie. ART U is 7-1 all-time against the Red Storm, and won both matches last year by scores of 8-1. On Day Two of the tournament, the Knights will face Southern Utah University and Colorado Mesa.

Academy of Art will take a much needed break, but then jump right back into the fray with a match against Westmont College on March 20th and then against another future PacWest opponent Azusa Pacific on March 21st. On March 29th, ART U will host Cal State Los Angeles for the teams' first matchup in program history to conclude the month.

April sees the Urban Knights facing off against Sonoma State again on April 7th, and will make the short trip across the San Francisco Bay to take on the Lady Penguins from Dominican on April 8th to finish off the regular season.

"What will change is next year when Fresno Pacific, Point Loma, and Azusa Pacific join the conference," said Coach Peach. "They all have tremendous programs and will really make the PacWest the best Division II tennis conference in the country."

Having already seen a majority of their conference opponents earlier on in the year, the Knights will head into the PacWest Tournament at the end of April well-prepared. As the seedings are yet to be determined, the Urban Knights know that they are at least scheduled to have matches on April 19-21. After the PacWest Tournament, Academy of Art will then head to the Ojai Valley Tennis Tournament in Ojai, CA, for matches from April 26-29.

"With the goal of making the Academy of Art University tennis program one of the best in the NCAA, the biggest challenge is stability," Coach Peach said. "Stability from year to year; being able to attract good players who share the same dreams of the school and the athletic department. We are seeing a lot of girls who want to get their degrees in the wonderful majors being offered at ART U, spend their years at school in beautiful San Francisco, and of course, develop their tennis at the intercollegiate level. The future is bright for Urban Knights!"

For the complete schedule, click here.