Northwestern University Athletics
Women's Tennis Will Host NCAA Regional
5/2/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
NCAA Championship Bracket (pdf)
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May 2, 2002
EVANSTON, Ill. - For the second time in as many years, Northwestern's women's tennis team was named one of 16 hosts for a four-team NCAA Championship Regional next weekend. The field for the 64-team NCAA Women's Tennis Championship was announced Thursday evening.
The Wildcats, who clinched an automatic berth with their Big Ten tournament title on Sunday, will host Illinois-Chicago, Notre Dame and Wisconsin May 11-12. Matches will be played at the Vandy Christie Tennis Center on Sheridan Road. In the event of inclement weather, matches will be moved to the Combe Tennis Center at 2379 North Campus Drive.
On Saturday, May 11, Notre Dame and Wisconsin will meet in the first match of the day at 10 a.m., followed by 16th-seeded Northwestern and UIC at 2 p.m. The winners of Saturday's semifinal matches will meet in the regional final on Sunday, May 12, at noon. The regional champion will move on to the Taube Family Tennis Stadium in Stanford, Calif., where the team and individual national championships will be held from May 16-25.
Northwestern will be playing in its 13th NCAA Championship after finishing the season with a 21-5 record and a 10-0 Big Ten mark. The Wildcats were ranked 15th in the May 1 Omni Hotels Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) rankings. Illinois-Chicago, their first-round opponent, enters postseason with a 17-11 record and earned an automatic bid into the tournament by winning their sixth consecutive Horizon League championship. This is the Flames' fourth straight trip to the NCAA Tournament.
Notre Dame (14-13) is ranked 21st in the latest ITA poll, and most recently dropped a 4-1 match to Miami (Fla.) in the finals of the BIG EAST Championships. Wisconsin (16-8) is ranked 30th in the latest ITA poll. The Badgers fell to Northwestern, 4-1, in the title match of the Big Ten Championships Sunday afternoon.
In addition, junior Marine Piriou was selected to participate in the NCAA Singles Tournament held May 22-25 at the Taube Family Tennis Stadium. Piriou, ranked 33rd in the nation, was named the Big Ten Player of the Year earlier this week. Piriou and doubles teammate Jessica Rush were selected as alternates for the NCAA Doubles Championships.
NCAA WOMEN'S TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS -- NORTHWESTERN REGIONAL
Saturday, May 11
Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin, 10 a.m. CT
Northwestern (16) vs. Illinois-Chicago, 2 p.m. CT
Sunday, May 12
Regional Final, noon CT
