Alabama?s Jung Named Alternate to NCAA Singles Championships
5/5/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
TUSCALOOSA ?? Alabama junior Joseph Jung has been named an alternate for the 2006 NCAA Singles Championships as announced Thursday by the NCAA. Jung is the third alternate to the field of 64 competitors and stands a good chance of getting into the field for competition which begins on May 24 in Palo Alto, Calif.
“Joe has really played well for us this season and is deserving of the chance to play in the NCAA Championships,” Alabama head coach Billy Pate said. “With injuries and other issues, some players are always forced to pull out and in previous seasons the third alternate has been given the opportunity to play and advance.”
In 2005, three alternates were placed into the field and in 2004 five alternates participated, although its likely that Jung won’t hear of the final decision until the week of the event.
Jung is currently ranked No. 61 by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, his highest ranking since March 12. This season he has posted a 19-16 record for the Crimson Tide while playing 23 dual-matches at the No. 1 singles position. He needs just one more victory to become the first player in Alabama history to record three 20-wins seasons during his time at the Capstone.
Between March 25, 2005 and March 3, 2006 Jung had a streak of 15 consecutive dual-match victories. The streak encompassed 11 months and nine days and was the longest such streak in the SEC.
Jung has also recorded seven wins this season over players currently ranked in the ITA Top 125, a career high, and has four victories over players selected to this year’s Singles Championships. That includes his best win to date over Arkansas’ No. 17-ranked Adrian Zguns in a three-set match that helped the Tide defeated the Razorbacks on April 9.
