University of Michigan Team Page
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- The University of Michigan men's tennis team received an at-large bid to the 2013 NCAA Championships, the NCAA announced as part of its selection show on Tuesday (April 30). The Wolverines were selected to compete at the Kentucky regional, to be held at the Hilary J. Boone Varsity Tennis Complex in Lexington, Ky. Michigan will face Virginia Tech in the first round at noon on Friday, May 10.
With a win, Michigan would play the winner of Kentucky (20-11), the tournament's No. 8 seed, and Western Michigan (19-9) at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 11. The regional winner advances to the 16-team NCAA Championship field, which will compete for the national title May 16-21 at the University of Illinois' Khan Outdoor Tennis Complex in Urbana, Ill.
"Virginia Tech is a team that we are familiar with after playing them two years ago at the ITA Kick-Off Weekend," head coach Bruce Berque said. "They have a great program and a great coaching staff, so we expect another great match this time around.
"The Kentucky regional represents a great opportunity for us. To advance to the Sweet 16, we know we are going to have to beat two great teams. Our first concern is Virginia Tech, but we respect all three programs that are at this regional."
Michigan, ranked No. 23 in the latest ITA poll, is making its eighth consecutive trip to the NCAA Championships under head Coach Berque and its 15th appearance since 1994. This season, the Wolverines earned a second-place finish in the Big Ten Conference with a 9-2 league record and advanced to the championship match of the Big Ten Tournament for the first time in program history. U-M boasts a pair of All-Big Ten selection in senior Evan King (Chicago, Ill./Kaplan Prep), who was named the 2013 Big Ten Athlete of the Year, and junior Barrett Franks (Christchurch, New Zealand/Shirley Boys').
Selections for the NCAA Individual Championships (singles and doubles) will be announced on Wednesday (May 1). The individual tournament will bring the top singles players and doubles teams from across the country to Champaign immediately following the conclusion of the NCAA Team Championships. The individual tournament, featuring 64 players (singles) or teams (doubles), will begin on Wednesday, May 22, and run through Monday, May 27.
NCAA FIRST AND SECOND ROUNDS
(Hilary J. Boone Varsity Tennis Complex, Lexington, Ky.)
Friday, May 10
No. 23 Michigan (16-9) vs. No. 42 Virginia Tech (15-9), Noon
No. 8 Kentucky vs. Western Michigan, 3 p.m.
Sunday, May 13
No. 21 Michigan/No. 42 Virginia Tech winner vs. No. 8 Kentucky/Western Michigan winner, 2 p.m.
