May 4, 2010
NCAA Division I Men’s Tennis Bracket (PDF)
LEXINGTON, Ky. — The 11th-ranked University of Kentucky men’s tennis team will play host to first- and second-round action of the NCAA Championships on May 15-16 at the Hillary J. Boone Tennis Complex.
Kentucky (23-8) is the No. 12-seed in the 64-team field and plays Cleveland State (20-6) Saturday at 1 p.m. EST. Earlier in the day, Georgia Tech (17-7) takes on Binghamton (25-1) at 10 a.m. EST. The winners of the two first-round matches meet on Sunday at 1 p.m. EST. The second-round winner advances to Athens, Ga., where the remaining rounds will take place May 21-25 at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex.
“We’re happy to be hosting the first and second rounds again,” UK head coach Dennis Emery said. “Cleveland State won their conference tournament and those types of teams enter the NCAA Tournament with a lot of momentum. We have to be on our toes when we play them next week.”
Kentucky is making its 21st appearance at the NCAA Championships, including its 12th in the last 13 years. The Wildcats have hosted the opening rounds seven times since 2000, including last season when they defeated Cleveland State, 4-0, before losing Wake Forest, 4-2, in the second round.
All of UK’s NCAA appearances have come under Emery’s direction. The 28th-year Wildcat mentor ranks second in the nation among active coaches in NCAA Championship appearances. The Wildcats have advanced as far as the quarterfinals three times (1988, 1992, 2002).
Cleveland State defeated Illinois-Chicago, 4-0, on April 25 to claim the Horizon League Championship for the third consecutive season.
The Wildcats enter the tournament with a 23-8 record, their most wins in a season since the 1992 squad finished 24-5 overall en route to finishing sixth at the NCAA Championships. UK has won 12 of its last 14 matches and owns five wins against teams ranked in the nation’s top 16. The Wildcats ended the regular season ranked in the top 15 for the sixth time since 2002.
Sophomore Eric Quilgey is ranked 12th in the nation in singles rankings with a 19-6 mark at No. 1 singles this season. He posted a 7-3 record against Southeastern Conference foes. The Pewee Valley, Ky., native owns a 4-2 mark this spring against top-25 players and enters the NCAA Championships having won nine of his last 10 matches.
Sophomore Alex Musialek is listed at No. 49 in the nation with an 18-7 record at No. 2 singles, including an 8-2 mark against the SEC. The France native has defeated four top-105 opponent this season, including then-No. 9 Michael Shabaz of Virginia.
Quigley has teamed with junior Brad Cox of Duluth, Ga., to lead UK’s efforts in doubles play. The duo has ranked in the top 25 all season and is listed at No. 22 this week. The tandem is 15-9, including two victories over top-10 duos.
UK’s No. 2 doubles tandem of senior Alex Lambropoulos (Lake Forest, Ill.) and Alberto Gonzalez (Bradenton, Fla.) are ranked No. 76 in the nation. The duo has registered a 10-8 mark this spring, including a 7-2 SEC mark.
The NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships will be played May 26-31 at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex in Athens, Ga.
MATCH SCHEDULE
First Round: Saturday, May 15
Match 1: Georgia Tech vs. Binghamton, 10 a.m. EST
Match 2: Cleveland State vs. Kentucky, 1 p.m. EST
Second Round: Sunday, May 16
Match 3: Winner Match 1 vs. Winner Match 2, 1 p.m. EST
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets for the championships are on sale now. Fans can purchase championship passes and single-day tickets by calling 1-800-928-CATS or in person at the UK ticket office at the Joe Craft Center, Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Ticket prices include:
Adult All Tournament Pass: $10
Child/Senior/Student All Tournament Pass: $6
Adult Single Day: $6
Child/Senior/Student Single Day: $4
The Hilary J. Boone Tennis Complex will open one hour prior to the start of the first match. (Cash ONLY at the Boone Tennis Complex) Ticket Sales/Will Call/Player Pass will be located outside at the northwest corner of the facility.
PARKING
Spectators can park in residential lots (R-lots) near the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Complex along Sports Center Drive. Additional parking is available on a pay-to-park basis in Parking Structure 7 adjacent to the tennis complex.
Live scoring and additional tournament details will be available at UKathletics.com.
