SAINT PETER, Minn. – The Gustavus Adolphus College men’s and women’s tennis teams begin their NCAA Tournament journeys this Thursday and Saturday. The women’s team will travel to Whitewater, Wis. for their first round matchup with Wheaton College on Thursday at 4 p.m., while the men head to Chicago and will play their first match against Coe College on Saturday at 10 a.m.
Women
The Gustie women are appearing in the NCAA Championships for the 24th time in program history. Gustavus last made the big dance in 2011 and earned each of their 23 bids in consecutive seasons from 1989-2011, including winning the National Championship in 1990. Gustavus earned the MIAC’s automatic bid to this season’s tournament by defeating Carleton College 5-0 in Saturday’s conference playoff title match.
The Black and Gold head to Whitewater, Wis. with a 21-7 overall record, a No. 36 national ranking, and No. 9 regional ranking. Gustavus’s opponent, Wheaton, is 18-1 this season and is ranked No. 13 in the region. The Thunder have two mutual opponents with the Gusties, including Carthage College and Augustana College. Gustavus defeated Carthage 5-1 and Augustana 7-2, while Wheaton took down Carthage 5-0 and Augustana 5-4.
This weekend’s regional will be held at the Wangerin Courts on the campus of UW-Whitewater, with Premier Tennis and Fitness in Janesville, Wis. serving as the backup site in case of inclement weather. The UW-Whitewater Sports Information Department has a home page containing live results links, a complete schedule, directions, a campus map, and lodging and food information. Throughout the weekend, the page will be updated with scores, stats, and updated schedules.
NCAA Release | Complete Tournament Draw | Women’s Tennis Homepage
Men
The Gustavus men are making their 29th appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 1983 and in all, have earned a trip the NCAA’s postseason tournament a total of 30 times in school history. Prior to 1983, Gustavus won NCAA Championships in 1980 and 1982 when champions were based on individual scoring at the NCAA Tournament. The Gusties earned the MIAC’s automatic bid to this season’s tournament by defeating Carleton College 5-0 in Sunday’s conference playoff title match.
The Black and Gold head to Chicago with an overall record of 23-7, a No. 18 national ranking, and No. 5 regional ranking. Gustavus’s opponent, Coe, is 22-6 this season, ranked No. 34 nationally, and No. 9 in the region. The Gusties and Kohawks have six mutual opponents, including Chicago, Carleton, Case Western, DePauw, Washington University in St. Louis, and UW-Whitewater. The Gusties are 2-4 against those teams, while the Kohawks are 1-5.
This weekend’s regional will be held at the Stagg Field Tennis Courts on the campus of the University of Chicago, with XS Tennis Inc. serving as the backup site in case of inclement weather. Chicago’s Sports Information Department has a home page containing live results links, a complete schedule, and a detailed visitors guide. Throughout the weekend, the page will be updated with scores, stats, and updated schedules.
NCAA Release | Complete Tournament Draw | Men’s Tennis Homepage