clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Arizona men’s tennis to host NCAA Championship opening rounds

By Ezra Amacher
/ new
arizona-wildcats-mens-tennis-ncaa-championship-seeding

For the first time ever, Arizona men’s tennis is hosting the NCAA Championship.

Arizona earned the No. 14 national seed and will host the first two rounds next weekend.

The Wildcats (21-6, 6-2 Pac-12) won a share of the Pac-12 championship for the second consecutive year under coach Clancy Shields.

Arizona will face Mountain West tournament champion Boise State (21-7) in the first round, with the winner advancing to face either Florida (14-13) or Oklahoma State (13-13). First round matches will take place May 5, while the second round will be on May 6.

Tickets are $5 and can be purchased on-site (no advanced sales).

All matches will be played at LaNelle Robinson Tennis Center at the University of Arizona.

Shields is no stranger to Boise State. Shields played for the Broncos from 2007-09, leading the program to three consecutive conference titles and an NCAA Sweet 16 appearance.

Today, Boise State is coached by none other than Shields’ brother, Luke.

Boise State finished third in the Mountain West regular season but pulled off three straight wins to earn the conference tournament title.

Arizona, meanwhile, is coming off a 4-3 loss to Utah in the Pac-12 Tournament semifinals. All three of Arizona’s losses since the beginning of March have come by 4-3 margins.

The Wildcats are led by Jonas Ziverts, the No. 41 ranked player nationally. Ziverts, a fifth-year from Sweden, boasts a 20-8 individual record. Ziverts and Jay Friend form the No. 42 ranked doubles pair.

Arizona’s hottest player is junior Gustaf Strom, who enters the NCAA Championship on a nine-match winning streak. Also from Sweden, Strom is ranked No. 113 nationally with a 25-9 individual record.

Colton Smith, a sophomore from Tenino, Washington is ranked No. 67 in the country with a 23-11 individual record.

If Arizona advances out of the Tucson pod, it would potentially play No. 3 seed Ohio State in the Sweet 16. Arizona last advanced to the Sweet 16 in 2020-21, falling to No. 3 seed Tennessee.

More From Arizona Desert Swarm

Loading comments...