Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern Earns No. 16 Seed for NCAA Championships
5/3/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
May 3, 2011
2011 NCAA Women's Tennis Championship Bracket
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Just two days after its thrilling victory over No. 10 Michigan to capture its 13th-consecutive Big Ten Tournament, Northwestern learned that it will continue its postseason journey at home. Chosen as the No. 16 overall seed, NU will face Indiana Uninversity-Purdue University Fort Wayne in the first round.
Northwestern will take to the courts against the Mastadons at 1 p.m. on Friday, May 13, outdoors at the Vandy Christie Tennis Center in Evanston. Should the 'Cats move on to the second round, they will face either Notre Dame or Fresno State the following day at noon, Saturday, May 14.
This is the 12th straight season Northwestern has earned the right to host the NCAA First and Second Rounds. The Wildcats have made the most of their home court advantage, advancing to the round of 16 in 10 of the last 11 seasons.
Northwestern enters the NCAA Championships after completing a 9-1 Big Ten regular season prior to winning the Big Ten Tournament for the 13th year in a row. NU blanked both Indiana and Illinois, 4-0, before winning a 4-3 outcome in the final against top-seeded Michigan in dramatic fashion.
Last year, Northwestern earned the No. 6 overall seed in the Championships and opened the first and second rounds with wins over Miami (Ohio) and Nebraska. This season Northwestern takes on IPFW, which is making its second-consecutive trip to the Championship. The Mastodons (27-3) earned an automatic bid to the first round by winning the Summit League.
The other first-round match in Evanston features Big East winner Notre Dame (15-9) and Fresno State (11-13), a member of the Western Athletic Conference. Northwestern defeated Notre Dame in Evanston back on April 7, when the 'Cats came back from a 3-0 deficit to beat the Irish, 4-3.
The team that advances through the first two rounds moves on to the round of 16 on the campus of Stanford University, where the remainder of the NCAA Championships will be played out on both the men's and women's sides.
Below is a look at the schedule for the regional competition at Northwestern. Check back to NUsports.com in the coming days for further information about the event.
First Round -- Friday, May 13
10 a.m.: Notre Dame vs. Fresno State
1 p.m.: #16 Northwestern vs. Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne
Second Round -- Saturday, May 14
Noon: Winner of Match 1 vs. Winner of Match 2
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