April 28, 2009

COLUMBIA, S.C. –
South Carolina earned a spot in the NCAA Men’s Tennis Championships for the 19th time in school history when the committee unveiled the bracket Tuesday. The No. 31 Gamecocks (15-10) will face No. 37 North Carolina (16-10) in a first-round match to be played in Charlottesville, Va., on Fri., May 8. In Saturday’s second round, the winner of the South Carolina/North Carolina match will play the winner of the No. 1 Virginia/Navy match.

South Carolina is 15-20 all-time against the Tar Heels in the 36-year series. The Tar Heels have won the last four meetings with the last Gamecock victory coming in a 4-2 decision in Chapel Hill on March 20, 2003. The teams have met twice in the NCAA Tournament with each coming out on top once. The most recent NCAA Championships matchup went South Carolina’s way in a 4-1 victory in the 1998 event.

South Carolina is 13-18 all-time in NCAA Championships matches, including a 10-11 mark in regional action. The Gamecocks have made the tournament field in eight of the last 10 seasons. The team has played in the Round of 16 six times, mostly recently in 2005. The best showing by South Carolina was a spot in the semifinals of the 1989 NCAA Championships.