Alabama Women?s Tennis Earns Sixth Straight NCAA Tournament Berth
5/4/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
TUSCALOOSA ?? The Alabama women's tennis team (11-11, 6-5 SEC) received its sixth consecutive berth into the NCAA Tournament as announced Wednesday by the NCAA. The Crimson Tide is the No. 3 seed in the Durham, N.C. Regional, hosted by Duke University, and will play No. 2-seed Virginia in the first round.
"It's great to get in the tournament," Alabama head coach Jenny Mainz said. "We've been tested all year. We've played great competition and hopefully we're ready for this challenge."
Host Duke will play Winthrop in the regional's other first round match. The exact date and time of Alabama's first round match has yet to be determined, although it will most likely begin on Friday, May 12.
For the Alabama staff, the match-up with Virginia will feel somewhat familiar. Former Kentucky head coach Mark Guilbeau is now the head man at UVA and he is assisted by former Auburn head coach Troy Porco. Both are in their first year at UVA.
This will be the eighth overall appearance in the NCAA Tournament for Alabama, with the last six coming under the guidance of Mainz. ??Bama has a 4-7 all-time record in the tournament and will be looking to get past the first round for the first time since 2003. This is the second time in the last six seasons that Alabama has played in the Durham Regional. In 2001 the Tide advanced to the second round before losing to Duke.
This season has already been a successful one for the Tide. Seniors Robin Stephenson and Ashley Bentley have each soared past the school record for most career singles victories this season and helped the team capture its second SEC Western Division crown in the last four seasons. They were each named First-Team All-SEC two weeks ago while junior Mari Muller earned Second-Team All-SEC distinction.
The tournament consists of 64 teams divided into 16 regional sites with each regional winner advancing to the championship site in Palo Alto, Calif. The final four rounds of the tournament will be played between May 20-29.
Selections for the NCAA singles and doubles tournaments will be announced Thursday afternoon. Stephenson and Bentley are both expected to receive bids.
For more information concerning the 2006 NCAA Women's Tennis Championships, visit www.ncaasports.com/tennis/womens.
