May 4, 2010
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The Notre Dame men’s tennis team has earned an at-large berth into the 64-team 2010 NCAA Championship field it was announced by the NCAA men’s tennis selection committee on Tuesday evening. At a time to be determined, the Irish will face Wisconsin on Friday, May 14 in Champaign, Ill. Led by head coach Bobby Bayliss, the Irish have now been selected to play in 19 of the last 20 NCAA team championship draws.
Illinois, which is serving as the host site, will play Xavier in the site’s other first round match. The winners will then square off the following day for the right to advance to the NCAA Championship round of 16.
For the 11th consecutive year, the NCAA men’s tennis championship features a field of 64 teams, consisting of 31 automatic-qualifying conference champions and 33 at-large selections. The first and second rounds will take place on May 14-16 at 16 campus sites. The winner of the second-round matches at each site will advance to Athens, Ga., as the University of Georgia will play host to the final four rounds of the team tournament as well as the national championship draws for singles and doubles play from May 20-31.
Notre Dame, ranked 41st at the time, and Wisconsin previously played this season on Feb. 28 in Notre Dame, Ind., with the Irish earning a 4-3 win on that day. The match was played indoors at the Eck Tennis Pavilion. Junior Daniel Stahl (Bethesda, Md./Walt Whitman) was the hero of Notre Dame’s come from behind win over then 31st-ranked Wisconsin. Stahl won a tough three-set match over 73rd-ranked Patrick Pohlmann 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 6-4 to clinch the win for the Irish. His win completed a comeback from a 0-2 deficit.
Notre Dame has reached the round of 16 in the NCAA Championships on seven occasions, highlighted by a runner-up finish in 1992 and a 1993 quarterfinal result. The Irish lost in the opening round in 2004, ’05, ’08 and ’09, but reached the round of 16 in 2006 and ’07. Overall the Irish are 16-18 in NCAA tournament play including a 6-13 mark on neutral courts and a 3-1 record against teams playing on their home court.
For more information on the NCAA men’s tennis tournament, including updated start times and the singles and doubles draws, which will be released on May 5, check back with und.com. A full NCAA Championship notes package will also be posted on und.com as Notre Dame’s match versus Wisconsin approaches.
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