Sept. 14, 2011
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Seniors Eric Quigley and Alex Musialek, who enter the 2011 fall season ranked in the top 20 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s preseason singles rankings, have been selected to participate in the singles main draw of the 2011 ITA All-American Championships at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center in Tulsa, Okla., Oct. 6-9.
Along with their selection to the singles main draw, Quigley and Musialek will team up in the event’s doubles main draw as well. The duo is ranked No. 19 in the ITA preseason doubles rankings. Quigley and Musialek have played one collegiate match together as a doubles team.
Two other Wildcats will have their chance to compete in the main draw, with junior Anthony Rossi earning a spot in the qualifying singles tournament, and Rossi and sophomore Tom Jomby receiving a spot in the qualifying doubles tournament.
The Wildcats are one of only 11 schools in the nation to earn two or more selections to the singles main draw and is one of only three Southeastern Conference schools to claim that honor. Main draw selections for singles and doubles are based on national preseason singles and doubles rankings.
Kentucky had a successful run at the All-American Championships last season with Quigley making it all the way to the finals, becoming only the sixth UK player in school history to play in the finals of a collegiate tennis grand slam tournament.
The native of Pewee Valley, Ky., joins former UK greats Jesse Witten, Carlos Drada, Cedric Kauffmann, Greg Van Emburgh and Rich Benson as the only players in Kentucky’s rich history of tennis to play in the finals of one of the four collegiate grand slam tournaments. Quigley’s run to the championship was a tough one as he had to post five wins over a top-45 ranked player in the tournament.
Musialek also played in the tournament last season, defeating a top-30 ranked player in the opening round before falling to top-15 ranked Marcel Thiemann of Ole Miss in the second round.
Kentucky is set to begin its fall season this weekend when it travels to the Olympia Fields Invitational, hosted by the University of Illinois, and the Duke Fab Four Invite, hosted by Duke University.
