Men's Tennis Faces UCLA in NCAA Round of 16
May 13, 2009
NCAA Notes (PDF) | Live Video/Stats
CORAL GABLES, FLA… – The No. 22 University of Miami men’s tennis team continues its postseason run on Thursday at 7 p.m. (ET) versus No. 7 UCLA in the NCAA’s Round of 16 at Texas A&M’s George P. Mitchell Tennis Center in College Station, Texas.
After defeating No. 53 Columbia, 4-0, and No. 10 Florida, 4-3, in the Gainesville Regional last week, the Hurricanes advance to the Round of 16 for the second time in the last four years and continue play into the third round of NCAA Tournament competition for the fourth time since the NCAA established the dual-match, single-elimination tournament format in 1977.
Miami (16-8, 9-2 ACC) is making its fourth-straight appearance at the NCAA Division I Men’s Tennis Championship under fifth-year head coach Mario Rincon and its 25th since 1977. The Hurricanes — who have gone 5-3 in NCAA Tournament play under Rincon, including advancing to the tournament’s Round of 16 in 2006 — have won 10 of its last 12 matches, including seven of its last eight matches away from home.
The seventh-seeded Bruins (19-4, 6-0 Pac-10) are making their 33rd straight trip to the Round of 16 and won their sixth-straight Pac-10 title earlier this season. UCLA fell in the 2008 NCAA semifinals to Texas, 4-2.
Miami is among a nation-best four ACC teams – joining Virginia, Wake Forest and Florida State – to advance to this week’s NCAA Round of 16. In addition, the Hurricanes are among just five programs sending both their men’s and women’s teams to the NCAA’s Round of 16. Alongside the Hurricanes, Baylor, Georgia, Stanford and UCLA have both programs still competing for national titles. Coincidentally, the sixth-seeded Miami women are facing the No. 11 UCLA women in NCAA Round of 16 on Friday at 10 a.m.
The winner of the men’s match between Miami and UCLA advances to the NCAA quarterfinals to square off versus the winner of the match between No. 2 Mississippi and No. 15 Texas A&M on Saturday, May 16 at 6 p.m. (ET).
