COLUMBUS, Ohio – For the ninth-consecutive season the second-ranked Ohio State men’s tennis team will serve as host to the First and Second Rounds of the Division I Championships, the NCAA announced Tuesday. Among the field of 64, the Buckeyes were selected as the overall No. 3 seed and will welcome Bryant, Wake Forest and Louisville to Columbus May 9-10. The winner of the Columbus regional will move on to the 2014 NCAA Men’s Tennis Championships May 15-20 hosted by University of Georgia in Athens, Ga.
Wake Forest (14-13) and Louisville (21-6) will begin play at 10 a.m. May 9, followed by Ohio State vs. Bryant (18-10) at 1 p.m. the winners of the opening-round matches will meet at Noon May 10. Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for students with a valid student ID.
The Buckeyes’ appearance among the field of 64 in the NCAA Team Championships is their 15th in program history. Ohio State has advanced to the championship final once (2009), while reaching the quarterfinals nine times (2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013) and the semifinals three times (2009, 2011, 2013). Posting a 36-14 (.720) record, Ohio State’s NCAA appearances have all come under head coach Ty Tucker.
The Scarlet and Gray earned the Big Ten’s Conference’s automatic bid into the NCAA tournament after winning the league tournament crown for the ninth time in 12 finals appearances. Ohio State also won its ninth-consecutive regular-season conference title this spring.
The 2014 NEC Tournament Champions, Bryant earned an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament. The Bulldogs will begin NCAA play with an 18-10 overall record and have won eight-consecutive matches heading into the first round. The opening match will mark the first meeting between the Buckeyes and Bulldogs in school history.
Wake Forest received an at-large bid into the championships and is making its 14th appearance in program history. The team posted a 14-13 overall record as the Demon Deacons head to Columbus. Last time out, Wake Forest fell just short, 4-3, to Virginia Tech in the opening round of the ACC Championship.
The Cardinals travel to Columbus with a 21-7 overall record. Last time out, Louisville fell to USF in the semifinals of the American Athletic Conference by a score of 4-1. The Buckeyes defeated the Cardinals earlier this year with a 4-1 win in Columbus during the ITA Kickoff Weekend.
The NCAA championships singles and doubles selections will take place at 6 p.m. Wednesday. Live streaming of the selection can be viewed at ncaasports.com.
2014 NCAA Division I Men’s Tennis Team Championships
May 9-10
*Varsity Tennis Courts
Columbus, Ohio
Tickets: $8 Adults; $5 Students
Friday, May 9
10 a.m. – Wake Forest vs. Louisville
1 p.m. – No. 3 Ohio State vs. Bryant
Saturday, May 10
Noon – winner match No. 1 vs. winner match No. 2
*In the event of inclement weather, matches will be played at the Varsity Tennis Center at 880 W. Henderson Road.
