Ferris Tennis Teams Garner NCAA-II Bids
Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University men's and women's tennis teams have both been selected to participate in the 2010 NCAA Division II Championships. The 64 selected teams along with the 16 first and second-round regional sites were announced late Wednesday evening (April 28) by the NCAA-II Men's and Women's Tennis Committee.
Each of the following eight regions will conduct two first and
second-round regional preliminary tournaments: Atlantic, Central,
East, Midwest, South, South Central, Southeast and West.
Both the Northwood and Drury (Mo.) men's and women's teams were
selected to host Midwest Regional play. Sixteen men's and women's
regional tournaments will be held with the winner of each advancing
into the 16-team national championship field slated for May 12-15
in Altamonte Springs, Fla. The entire championships consist
of a 16-team single elimination tournament.
The Bulldog men's and women's tennis teams will both compete in one of two NCAA-II Midwest Regional Tournaments May 6-7 at Northwood University in Midland, Mich. The FSU men will square off against Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) opponent Southern Indiana on Thursday (May 6) at 3 p.m. (EDT). The other first-round match in the Northwood regional pits GLVC member Lewis (Ill.) against the host Timberwolves starting at 1 p.m. (EDT) with the winners slated to meet Friday (May 7) in the final at 12 p.m. (EDT).
Meanwhile, the FSU women's squad will also take part in the Northwood regional and will square off against fellow Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) counterpart Wayne State in the first match of the day on Thursday (May 6) at 9 a.m. (EDT). The other women's match in the four-team NU regional features host Northwood against St. Joseph's (Ind.) of the GLVC beginning at 11 a.m. (EDT). The women's regional final will be held Friday (May 7) at 10 a.m. (EDT).
All matches in the Northwood regional are slated to be held outside on-campus at NU's Gerstacker Tennis Center. The Midland Community Tennis Center will be used in the event of rain or inclement weather.
The selections of teams for the championship was based on prescribed criteria listed in the NCAA-II Men's and Women's Tennis Championships Handbook and approved by the NCAA-II Championships Committee.
The Ferris State men's team, presently 12-7 overall, will be making its 13th consecutive and 16th overall NCAA-II Regional Tournament appearance. Last season (2009), FSU defeated Grand Valley State 5-4 in the regional first round (5/7) before falling to host Northwood in the regional final (5/8) at Midland, Mich. Ferris has advanced to the NCAA-II "Sweet Sixteen" round nine times overall in its history.
The 12-8 Bulldog women's team will be making its 18th overall
regional tournament appearance, but its first since 2007. Ferris
State dropped a 5-4 decision to Indianapolis in its most recent
NCAA Tourney action three years ago (5/3/07) at Midland. The
Bulldogs have advanced to the NCAA-II Championship round of 16 six
times in history.
Both Ferris State teams are guided by third-year head coach
Alex Palladino. The Bulldog men placed third
overall at the 2010 GLIAC Men's Tennis Tournament earlier this
month (April 17-18) at the Midland Community Tennis Center with the
women's team taking fifth place in the league tournament last fall
(Oct. 24-25) in Lansing, Mich.
Click Here For NCAA Regional Information
Click Here For Official NCAA-II Women's Tourney
Release
Click Here For Official NCAA-II Men's Tourney
Release
Click Here For FSU Women's NCAA Media Packet
Click Here For FSU Men's NCAA Media Packet
