April 30, 2008
Notre Dame, Ind. – Notre Dame junior Brett Helgeson, after receiving the BIG EAST conference automatic bid, will compete in the NCAA singles tournament for the Irish. Helgeson makes it the third consecutive year in which an Irish player has participated in the event.
Helgeson anchored the men’s team as the No. 1 singles player in the rotation. Over the season he played in all but two matches at the No. 1 spot, in which he amassed a record of 13-9, including 4-0 versus BIG EAST conference foes.
Helgeson will enter the tournament on a bit of a hot streak, as he has been victorious in his last five matches. In those five victories he has taken down three nationally ranked opponents, including Louisville’s Austen Childs, ranked No. 39 nationally. Overall on the season Helgeson held an 11-7 record against nationally ranked opponents which he faced.
Over the course of the season Helgeson saw his ITA ranking soar as high as No. 11 in the nation back on February 16, before finishing the season ranked No. 45. His best victory of the year came back on Oct. 20 when he defeated then-No. 2 Steven Moneke of Ohio State.
The singles tournament will take place from May 21-26 at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center in Tulsa, Okla. However, Helgeson and the Irish will first kick off their NCAA tournament in the team tournament which will begin on Saturday, May 10 when the Irish face off with the Buccaneers of East Tennessee State at 2 p.m. (ET). The winner of Saturday’s match will then move on to face the winner of the match between No. 2 seed Ohio State and Cleveland State on Sunday at 12 p.m. (ET).
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