May 9, 2014

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NOTRE DAME, Ind. — It’s been a remarkable season for the Notre Dame men’s tennis team. The Irish had their best start to a season in a decade, rose up in the national rankings to as high as No. 6 and made it to the semifinals of their first-ever Atlantic Coast Conference Championship.

But as students finish their finals and campus quiets down, the men’s tennis team is just getting started.

This weekend, for the first time since 2007, Notre Dame will host the regional first and second rounds of the NCAA Championship at the Courtney Tennis Center. Joining the 13th seeded Irish are No. 30 Northwestern, No. 38 Ole Miss and Green Bay.

The team has had the challenge of preparing for the NCAAs while also taking final exams this week, a task that head coach Ryan Sachire says the players have approached with motivation.

“The guys have had a tremendous focus,” he says. “They’ve done a really good job of keeping in the same mentality that we’ve had this entire year, and we’re feeing really good going into this weekend.”

Notre Dame will face Green Bay tomorrow (May 10) at 1 p.m. in the first round of the regional. Should the team move on, Notre Dame will play either Northwestern or Ole Miss at 1 p.m. on Sunday.

“This is why we do what we do,” Sachire adds. “This is why we play-to be in a position to make a successful run at the end of the season, and our guys have been dedicated to put themselves in that position. We have to play and compete like we’ve done all year, with great energy and great passion.”

Fans can follow the results online with our live stats, or come out and support the Irish at the courts. Tickets are available here.

–Lauren Chval, Media Relations Assistant

–ND–