Gamecocks to Host First Round of NCAA Championships
COLUMBIA, S.C. – No. 12 South Carolina men’s tennis earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Championships for the 26th time in program history and the seventh time under head coach Josh Goffi and will be hosting early-round matches for the first time since 1994. The Gamecocks (15-9, 7-5 SEC) will play UNC Wilmington in the first round on Fri., May 7, at 1 p.m. in Carolina Tennis Center. The other first-round match in Columbia will feature Liberty and NC State playing at 10 a.m.
The 13th-seeded Gamecocks will enter their fourth-straight NCAA Tournament this weekend after reaching the SEC Tournament semifinals for the third time in program history and the second time in as many chances. Four Gamecocks are nationally ranked in singles, including No. 2 Daniel Rodrigues and No. 22 Connor Thomson who also earned First-Team All-SEC honors last week. Eight of South Carolina’s 15 wins came against ranked opponents, including four against top-20 foes.
UNCW earned the Colonial Athletics Association’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament and bring a 15-5 overall record to Columbia. Atlantic Sun Champion No. 48 Liberty (20-7) will bring the conference’s Player of the Year and Doubles Pair of the Year into its match against No. 25 NC State on Friday morning. The Wolfpack went 11-8 on the season, including a loss at South Carolina, with a 7-3 ACC record that placed it fourth in the league standings. A pair of NC State players are nationally ranked in singles, including a top-25 entry.
The Gamecocks are one of 11 SEC teams to make the 2021 NCAA Championship field, including seven that will host the opening rounds of the event. Joining South Carolina in earning a seed in the event are No. 1 Florida, No. 3 Tennessee, No. 8 Texas A&M, No. 11 Georgia, No. 14 Kentucky and No. 15 Ole Miss. Alabama, Arkansas, LSU and Mississippi State are also in the 64-team field.
Tickets for the first and second rounds at Carolina Tennis Center will be $5 for all fans over the age of two. Students of the four participating schools can purchase tickets for $3 with a valid University ID.
For men’s tennis updates, continue to check back with GamecocksOnline.com or follow the team on social media (@GamecockMTennis).
