CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The 18th-ranked LSU men’s tennis team is set to face undefeated Drake Friday afternoon at 3 p.m. CT at the Atkins Tennis Center in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The first round contest marks the first meeting between the Tigers (14-8) and the Bulldogs (24-0). The winner of their match will face the winner of the match between Xavier and 15th-ranked Illinois. The Illini and Musketeers will square off at noon prior to the LSU-Drake match.
Tickets can be purchased at the Atkins Tennis Center on the day of the match and are $5 for adults and $3 for students.
First and second-round competition will be conducted Friday-Sunday, May 9-11,at 16 different regional sites with the winner of each site advancing to the NCAA Championships at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center in Tulsa, Okla., May 16-20.
“Our guys have been looking forward to NCAA’s for quite some time,” Brown said. “Starting the tournament against an undefeated team is a challenge but it is something we look forward to. Drake and top-ranked Virginia are the only undefeated teams right now so we know it will be a tough test on Friday.”
The Tigers hold a 26-24 all-time record in the NCAA Tournament. LSU has reached the tournament 24 times, which ranks second in the SEC behind Georgia (29.) LSU was bounced from the tournament last season by Ohio State, 4-0, in the round of 16. Brown has brought the Tigers to the tournament each year he has led the team and reached the semifinals in his first two years (98′, 99′).
Freshman Sebastian Carlsson leads the Tigers in singles wins this season with 25. The four-time Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week has won five straight matches.
LSU’s No. 1 player Michael Venus, who is ranked No. 26 in the country, will participate in the singles and doubles portion of the Individual tournament that takes place after the team tournament. Venus and doubles partner James Cluskey are ranked No. 18 with a 14-5 record.
Venus reached the doubles finals of the Price Leblanc Lexus Pro Tennis Classic in Baton Rouge on April 27.
The Tigers have won the doubles point in 16 out their 22 matches this season.
The Bulldogs will be making their third-straight NCAA Tournament appearance and fifth overall in school history. The Missouri Valley Conference champions are led by fourth-year head coach Chase Hodges. The Bulldogs are currently ranked No. 46 in the country. Bulldog Dalibor Pavic is listed at No. 70 in the singles rankings.
The Illini (18-8) are coming off a runner-up finish at the Big Ten Tournament and a 2007 runner-up finish at the NCAA Championships. Brad Dancer is in his third year as the Illinois head coach. The Illini are making its 13th-straight NCAA Tournament appearance.
Illinois represents two singles players and one doubles team in the national rankings with Ruben Gonzales (No. 42), Brandon Davis (No. 48) and the duo of Ryan Rowe and Billy Heiser (No. 11).
This is the first-ever team NCAA Tournament appearance for the Musketeers (16-8) as they earned the automatic bid to the tournament after winning the Atlantic 10 Championship on April 4. The Musketeers are led by first-year head coach Eric Toth.
NCAA Men’s Tournament
First and Second Round
Champaign, Ill. at Atkins Tennis Center
(Times are CT)
Friday, May 9
First Round
Match #1 Xavier vs. Illinois Noon
Match #2 Drake University vs. LSU 3 p.m.
Saturday, May 10
Second Round
Match #3 Winner Match #1 vs. Winner Match #2 2 p.m.