Tuesday, 05/01/2012

MALIBU, Calif. – The 2012 NCAA Tournament team brackets were released today, and both the Pepperdine men’s and women’s programs earned a bid to the championships. The men’s squad will host Green Bay, Washington and North Carolina State, while the women’s team faces Purdue in the first round in Berkeley, Calif.

The men’s squad (23-6), fresh off winning its 42nd West Coast Conference Tournament title, will play Green Bay (19-6) at 2 p.m. on Friday, May 11. The Phoenix is having one of the best seasons in program history, and won their first-ever Horizon League championship to earn their first berth into the national tournament.

#26 Washington (16-8) squares off with #39 North Carolina State (20-9) in the first round in Malibu, scheduled for 11 a.m. on May 11. The winners of Friday’s matches meet at noon on Saturday, May 12 in the second round.

The Waves have hosted the first and second rounds on six occasions prior to this year and are 10-2 when playing at home. Overall, Pepperdine boasts a 51-33 NCAA Tournament record in their 36 appearances.  The team’s best showing came in 2006, when they were crowned the NCAA Champions.

The Pepperdine women, ranked #38 by the ITA, will make the trip up to Berkeley, and face Purdue in the first round. A win would put the team up against either host #8 California (17-6) or #54 Sacramento State (15-9).

The Waves are 3-0 all-time versus the Boilermakers (14-6), although the teams have not faced off against each other since 1999. #30-ranked Purdue upset #15 Michigan 4-3 in the Big Ten Championships to win its first-ever league title, and the automatic bid.

This is the 29th overall NCAA Tournament appearance for the women’s team, and 25th straight. The Waves have compiled an overall record of 24-28 in the postseason, and have reached the quarterfinals on four occasions.

After the first and second rounds on May 11-13, the remainder of the NCAA Tournament for both the men and the women will be contested in Athens, Ga. at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex on May 17-22.

Selections for the singles and doubles championship will be announced on Wednesday, May 2.

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