Tennis Teams To Host NCAA First and Second Rounds
Tuesday, April 29, 2014 | Women's Tennis
Florida's men's and women's tennis teams both were chosen as one of 16 hosts of their respective NCAA Championship first and second rounds, the NCAA Committee announced on Tuesday evening from Indianapolis.
The event will run from May 9 to 11 at UF's Linder Stadium at Ring Tennis Complex.
The schedule of team play in Gainesville is as follows:
| Friday, May 9 * Women's NCAA First Round | |
| 12 p.m. | Oklahoma State vs. South Florida |
| 3 p.m. | Florida vs. South Carolina State |
| Saturday, May 10 * Men's NCAA First Round | |
| 9 a.m. | Florida State vs. South Florida |
| 12 p.m. | Florida vs. St. John's (NY)? |
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| Saturday, May 10 * Women's NCAA Second Round | |
| 3 p.m. | Friday's First Round winners |
| Sunday, May 11 * Men's NCAA Second Round | |
| 2 p.m. | Saturday's First Round winners |
COMPLETE 2014 NCAA Women's Team draw
COMPLETE 2014 NCAA Men's Team draw
The Combined Site Schedule in Gainesville
· The Gator women will host two first round matches on Friday, May 9 and a second round contest on Saturday, May 10
· The Gator men will play their first round matches on Saturday and the second round on the Sunday, May 11.
· The winning team from each of the 16 regionals advances to Athens, Georgia, for the NCAA Round of 16 and beyond.
The Championship Site
· This season the University of Georgia's Dan Magill Tennis Complex plays host to the combined men's and women's tournament from the round of 16 through the final.
· The women's Round of 16 begins on Thursday, May 15, while men's action gets underway on Friday, May 16.
Women's First & Second Rounds in Gainesville at a Glance
· The Gator women received the No. 8 seed in the 64-team draw.
· Florida (19-5) faces Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) champion South Carolina State (13-5) for the fifth time in program history in its NCAA First Round contest on Fri., May 9 at 3 p.m. ET.
· The other NCAA Women's First Round match played in Gainesville will be held on Friday beginning at 12 Noon and features No. 25 Oklahoma State (15-8), the Big 12 runner-up, versus No. 31 South Florida (18-3), which earned an automatic berth as American Athletic Conference champions.
Florida Women at the NCAA Championships
· UF has been selected to host first and second round matches every year since the NCAA Women's Championships expanded its field to 64 teams in 1999.
· The Gators have participated in the 32 of the 33 NCAA Championships, missing only the 1986 event.
· The Gators won six NCAA team titles: 1992, 1996, 1998, 2003, 2011 and 2012.
· UF has advanced to at least the NCAA Semifinals 22 times in the last 26 years, including last season when the team fell to eventual champion Stanford, 4-3.
Quick Glance at the Women's NCAA Field of 64
· Florida played 16 of its 24 matches this season against teams that made the NCAA Tournament field of 64 and posted an 11-5 record versus those clubs.
· The Florida women's team is one of 10 SEC schools in the 2014 field.
· Five SEC programs were selected to play host to the first and second rounds: Georgia (No. 1 overall seed), Alabama (No. 2 seed), Florida (No. 8 seed), Vanderbilt (No. 9 seed) and Texas A&M (No. 10 seed).
· Of the other 15 seeds, the Gators faced nine of them during the regular season.
Quoting UF Women's Head Coach Roland Thornqvist
“We're delighted to play at home and have another opportunity for our outstanding seniors to play in front of their home fans. It's a very challenging group with two conference champions and a runner-up team all coming to Gainesville. We know we've played a fantastic schedule. Our players have felt challenged every time they took the court in the league. Close matches are something we've faced a lot this year and hopefully that will be to our benefit in this tournament.”
Men's First & Second Rounds in Gainesville at a Glance
· The Gator men received the No. 14 seed in the 64-team draw.
· Florida (15-9) faces Big East champion St. John's (NY) (16-7) for the second time in program history in its NCAA First Round contest on Sat., May 10 at 12 p.m. ET.
· The other NCAA Men's First Round match played in Gainesville will be held on Saturday beginning at 9 a.m. and features No. 30-ranked Florida State (18-11) vs. No. 22-ranked South Florida (18-6).
Florida Men at the NCAA Championships
· UF has been selected to host first and second round matches 12 of the 15 years since the NCAA Men's Championships expanded its field to 64 teams in 1999 (did not host in 2001, 2006 and 2007).
· Gators head coach Bryan Shelton has UF poised to earn its second berth in as many years under his tutelage.
· Florida has made the NCAA Men's Championships for 23 consecutive years, dating back to 1991.
· The Gator men have advanced to the NCAA semifinals twice, with its last semifinals appearance coming in 2005 when UF fell to eventual runner-up Baylor, 4-1, in College Station.
Quick Glance at the Men's NCAA Field of 64
· Florida played 14 of its 24 matches this season against teams that made the NCAA Tournament field of 64.
· The Florida men's team is one of eight SEC schools in the 2014 field.
· Other SEC programs also selected to play host to the first and second rounds: Vanderbilt, No. 8 seed Texas A&M, No. 10 seed Georgia and No. 15 seed Kentucky.
Quoting UF Men's Head Coach Bryan Shelton
“We're very excited to have the opportunity to host again. Our guys worked hard all season to create this opportunity and I'm happy that our fans here will have the chance to see us play again at home this season. We know too well, after last year losing to Denver in the First Round, we know we can't overlook anyone. We're just going to have to continue to prepare and get ready, but we're excited for this opportunity.”
Ticket Information:
· Tickets may be purchased in advance or on each day of the tournament.
· An ALL-SESSION Pass is $10.00 for adults and $5.00 for senior citizens, college students and children 12 and under.
· SINGLE DAY tickets for Friday and Saturday are $5.00 for adults and $3.00 for senior citizens, college students and children 12 and under.
· SINGLE DAY tickets for Sunday are $3.00 for everyone.
· A Will Call window for the teams will also be located at the Ring Tennis Complex entrance.
· Spectators interested in purchasing an advance ALL-SESSION Pass may do so by contacting:
o Gator Ticket Office
o Post Office Box 14485
o Gainesville, FL 32604
o 352/375-4683, ext. 6800
o 352/372-5801 (fax)
Seating:
· Gates will open for fans one hour prior to the start of the first competition each day.
· Please note that seating is on a first come, first served basis.
· No saving of seats will be permitted.
NCAA Singles & Doubles Championships
· The men's and women's NCAA Singles & Doubles Championships run May 21-26 in Athens, Georgia.
· The announcement of the participants for the 64-player singles field and the 32-doubles draw will be held on Wed., April 30.
· The names of the men's and women's individuals selected posted to the www.NCAA.com no later than 6 p.m. ET.
· The draws will be unveiled on Wed., May 21.
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