2008 Women's Tennis Championships Bracket
INDIANAPOLIS ? Boise State and Fresno State have been selected by the NCAA Division I Women’s Tennis Subcommittee to participate in the 2008 NCAA Division I Women’s Tennis Championship Regionals, May 9-11. No. 16 Fresno State earned the WAC’s automatic spot after winning its seventh-straight WAC Championship last week, while No. 44 Boise State received an at-large bid.
First and second-round competition will be conducted May 9-11 with the winner of each site advancing to the NCAA Division I Women’s Tennis Championship at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center in Tulsa, Okla., hosted by the University of Tulsa. The team championship will be held May 15-26. Teams will play a single-elimination tournament at 16 first- and second-round sites (four teams at each site) and the finals site (16-team bracket) to determine the national champion.
No. 16 Fresno State, who also received the No. 16 seed, earned the right to host the first and second rounds at the Wathen Tennis Center in Fresno, Calif. The Bulldogs will take on Lamar in the opening round on Friday, May 9, at 1:00 p.m. Arizona State and Sacramento State will also play in the four-team regional at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, with the winner of both matches advancing to the regional championship on Saturday, May 10, at 1:00 p.m.
This will be the 13th-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance for the Bulldogs, who have reached the Sweet 16 in three out of the past four seasons. Fresno State is led by junior Melanie Gloria, the three-time defending WAC Player of the year, who is ranked No. 16 in singles. Gloria and her teammate Tinesta Rowe are ranked second in the country in doubles. Sophomores Renata Kucerkova and Anastasia Petukhova are ranked No. 33 as a doubles tandem.
Lamar University (22-2) earned the automatic berth to the tournament after winning the Southland Conference title over Southeastern Louisiana, 4-2. This will be the first-ever meeting between the Bulldogs and the Lady Cardinals.
No. 21 Arizona State (14-7) has two singles players ranked in the top 30, with sophomore Nadia Abdala (No. 23) and freshman Kelcy McKenna (No. 26). Fresno State is 0-2 against the Sun Devils, falling 4-3 in 2007 and 4-2 in 2003. No. 53 Sacramento State (21-6) also won its seventh-straight conference title in the Big Sky Conference, defeating Northern Arizona, 4-0, and earning the automatic berth. The Bulldogs are 7-2 all-time versus the Hornets, winning the last three matches, including a 5-2 victory last season.
No. 44 Boise State earned its second-straight bid to the NCAA Tournament and will make its fifth appearance in school history at the Currey Tennis Center in Nashville, Tenn., hosted by Vanderbilt University. The Broncos will take on Kentucky in the opening round on Friday, May 9, at 10:00 a.m. No. 11 Vanderbilt will take on Indiana State at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, May 9, with the winner of both matches facing off on Saturday, May 10, at 12:00 p.m.
No. 23 Kentucky (15-9) enters its 12th-straight tournament with an at-large bid after finishing seventh in the SEC Championships. The Wildcats are led by No. 85 Megan Broderick and sophomore Christine Johnston, each with 18 wins on the season. Johnston and partner Carolina Escamilla lead the Cats in doubles, ranked No. 37 in the NCAA.
No. 11 Vanderbilt (18-5) is making its 14th-straight NCAA Tournament appearance and is hosting a first and second-round regional for the 10th-consecutive year. The Commodores are looking to make their 10th-straight appearance in the Sweet 16, compiling a perfect 18-0 record in postseason action at home since 1999. No. 70 Indiana State earned the automatic berth the tournament after winning the Missouri Valley Conference title over Wichita State, 4-3. This is the Sycamores first-ever NCAA tournament appearance.
-WAC-