TULSA TO HOST NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS -The University of Tulsa will host the 120th Annual NCAA Division I Mens Tennis Championships, May 22-31, 2004, at the spectacular Michael D. Case Tennis Center, which was honored by the United States Tennis Association as the 2003 Outstanding Collegiate Tennis Center. The NCAA Tennis Championships are making their first-ever appearance in Oklahoma only the fifth time since 1977 outside of Georgia.
RICE ADVANCES TO SWEET 16 - The 14th-ranked Rice Owls would not be denied a ticket to the NCAA Sweet 16 by either Louisiana State or the weather, shutting out the Tigers with a weather delayed 4-0 victory in Baton Rouge, La., on May 23.
With only three courts available indoors, singles action began at the top three ladder positions. Richard Barker struck first with a 6-2, 6-1 victory against Fisher at No. 3. Robert Searle, ranked 35th nationally in singles, scored next for the Owls, sweeping 30th-ranked Ken Skupski 6-1, 6-3 at the top spot. William Barker then blasted Hazley in the second set to record a 6-4, 6-0 win at No. 2 and secure Rice's trip to the Sweet 16.
Rice now travels to Tulsa, Okla., to face second-ranked and third-seeded Baylor in the continuation of the NCAA team championships, in addition to the start of the singles and doubles championships. This is the Owls' first trip to the Sweet 16 since the NCAA initiated the dual-match, single-elimination team championship in 1977. Before 1977, individual wins counted in the teams total points. Under the points system, Rice was the NCAA runner-up in 1947, 1968 and 1970.
RICES BARKERS EARN DOUBLES TOP SEED - The NCAA Division I Men's Tennis Subcommittee has selected 64 singles players and 32 doubles teams that will compete in the 2004 NCAA Division I Men's Tennis Championships.
Top-seeded Richard and William Barker are 29-2 this year and currently riding a 20-match win streak that includes a perfect 18-0 mark in duals. The pair was the 2003 ITA national doubles team of the year and advanced to the semifinals of last year's NCAA doubles championships.
William Barker and teammate Robert Searle both received at-large bids for the singles championships. Barker earned all-America honors at last year's tournament after advancing to the round of 16. For Searle, the bid is his second in his two years as a collegian.
Tulsa senior Dustin Taylor was selected to participate in the 2004 NCAA Division I Men's Singles Tennis Championships. Taylor and Alejandro Tejerina will also take part in the doubles championships, with brackets and times to be announced at a later date. Taylor, the nation's 61st-ranked singles player, will be making his second NCAA Tournament appearance. He posted a 12-14 singles mark this year, including a 5-7 record against ranked opponents.
Boise States Guillaume Bouvier, who was named first-team all-WAC, also earned a bid. Bouvier plays out of the Mountain Region. SMUs Johan Brunstrom, the WAC Player of the Year, will also play in the singles tournament. Brunstrom plays in the South Central Region along with Rice.
FRESNO STATE FALLS TO PEPPERDINE IN OPENING ROUND - The Fresno State men's tennis team saw their season come to a close with a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Pepperdine in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Bulldogs wrap up the campaign 13-10 and fell in the first round for the first time since 1998.
The Waves, who also defeated Fresno State in the regular season but by a much closer score of 5-2, began the day by claiming the doubles point with a pair of decisive victories on courts 2 and 3. Pepperdine registered an 8-2 win at the No. 2 position and followed that up with an 8-4 victory at court No. 3.
SMU STOPPED BY BAYLOR IN SECOND ROUND - SMU saw its successful 2003-04 season come to an end on May 15, as the Mustangs fell to No. 2 ranked Baylor, 4-0, in second- round action of the 2004 NCAA Men's Tennis Championship at the Baylor Tennis Center in Waco, Texas. The loss ended a season that saw the Mustangs take home Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year honors, while making the NCAA Championships for the eighth consecutive season.
In singles play, Baylor took matches at No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 singles to clinch the match and move on to the Sweet 16 round. SMU's Henrik Soderberg fell 6-1, 6-1 to Baylor's No. 15 ranked Benjamin Becker at No. 2 singles to start off singles play. No. 98 Matias Marin followed with a 6-2, 6-3 win over SMU's Gwinyai Chingoka at No. 3. No. 113 Matija Zgaga closed it out for the Bears with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Lukasz Senczyszyn at No. 4 singles, giving Baylor a 4-0 victory.
RICE WINS FIRST WAC TITLE - The host Rice men won their first Western Athletic Conference tennis championship with a 4-1 victory over SMU at the Jake Hess Tennis Stadium on the university campus in Houston.
The top-seeded and 13th-ranked Owls were led by the strength of Richard and William Barker. The pair form the No. 1 doubles team in the country, with William also ranked 46th in singles.
The Barkers began the day with a tough 8-5 victory over the Mustangs' 29th-ranked tandem of Johan Brunstrom and Henrik Soderberg. The Owls then clinch the doubles point as Tony Haerle and Vuk Rajevac held off Gwinyai Chingoka and Paul McNaughton for an 8-5 win at No. 2.
The Mustangs quickly struck back in singles when Alex Skrypko scored a 6-3, 6-2 victory against Rajevac at No. 5, knotting the team score at 1-1. Haerle answered for the Owls at No. 4 singles with his 6-3, 6-1 decision against the Mustangs' Federico Murgier. Richard Barker put Rice within a single point of the title, with a strong 6-1, 6-2 victory at No. 3. The senior Barker clinched the team title with his win against Chingoka.
ITA RANKINGS - Rice is the highest ranked WAC team in the most recent ITA rankings. The Owls are No. 14. This week, SMU is No. 35, while Boise State fell to No. 45. Rounding out the top 60 is Fresno State at No. 46 and Tulsa and No. 57. The Rice twin duo of Richard and William Barker are currently ranked No. 1.
NATIONAL TEAM INDOORS - Tulsa and Boise State played at the ITA/USTA National Team Indoor Championship in Seattle, Wash. This was Tulsas first trip to the national indoor tournament. Both schools went 0-3 at the prestigious tournament. Defending NCAA Champion, Illinois, repeated as ITA/USTA National Team Indoor Champions. Tulsa lost to Illinois in the first round, 4-0.