Tulane Tennis Teams Earn NCAA Berths
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May 5, 1999
NEW ORLEANS, La. - - The Tulane men's and women's tennis teams each earned bids into the NCAA Championship, as the 64 teams in each tournament were announced Wednesday.
The Tulane men will play 36th-ranked Southwestern Louisiana on Friday, May 14 in Baton Rouge, while the Tulane women open the tournament against 20th-ranked Kentucky on Saturday, May 15 in Nashville, Tenn.
The Tulane men, ranked 26th nationally by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, earned its third consecutive berth into the national championships on the strength of its 18-7 record and runner-up showing at the Conference USA Tournament. Coach Robert Klein's Green Wave will face a familiar foe in USL (12-8) as the two squads have already met twice this season. Tulane came away victors in both matches, defeating the Ragin' Cajuns 4-0 at the HEB Classic on March 6 and winning 4-3 in the regular-season finale on April 29 at the Goldring Tennis Stadium. The Green Wave is 7-7 against NCAA Tournament teams this season. Should Tulane advance past the first round, the Wave will meet either host LSU or Alcorn State in the second round.
The Tulane women, ranked 37th in the latest ITA poll, earned its first-ever bid to the NCAA Tournament behind an 18-5 record. Coach Jennifer Melius' squad will face off against Kentucky (14-9) after having turned in a third-place finish at the Conference USA Tournament. Should Tulane defeat UK, the Green Wave will face the winner of the Vanderbilt-Loyola (Md.) first-round match.
