NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana
men's tennis extended its school record for consecutive postseason appearances by receiving an at-large bid Monday to the
NAIA National Championship tournament.
It's the 11th straight year that the Gold Rush — 14-8 and ranked seventh in the
most recent coaches poll — qualified
for nationals. The XULA men reached the semifinals a year ago and were national runner-up in 2016 and 2017.
The Gold Rush
were one of 24 teams selected for nationals. Thirteen teams received automatic bids,
10 received at-large bids, and Mobile received a host-school bid.
It's the 11th time overall that
the Gold Rush qualified.
The final pretournament step — the NAIA's
announcement of the bracket and seedings — will occur Tuesday.
The five-day tournament will begin May 14 at Copeland-Cox Mobile Tennis Center in Mobile, Ala.
The top eight seeds will receive first-round byes
and play their first matches May 15. XULA received a bye seven of the previous
eight seasons, missing only in 2014.
XULA reached the quarterfinals each of the last seven years.
Georgia Gwinnett, which eliminated the Gold Rush each
of the past three years, will seek its sixth consecutive national championshhip.
The Grizzlies have won 105 consecutive dual matches and have not lost since a 5-3 decision against
Hawaii Pacific on April 3, 2015, in Pensacola, Fla.
2019 NAIA Men's Tennis National Championship Qualifiers
| Team |
Location |
Record |
Qualifying Bid |
At 2018 Nationals |
| Arizona Christian Firestorm |
Phoenix, Ariz. |
18-1 |
Automatic |
2nd round |
| Asbury Eagles |
Wilmore, Ky. |
13-3 |
Automatic |
1st round |
| Campbellsville Tigers |
Campbellsville, Ky. |
16-7 |
At-large |
Quarterfinals |
| Cardinal Stritch Wolves |
Milwaukee, Wis. |
16-4 |
Automatic |
2nd round |
| Coastal Georgia Mariners |
Brunswick, Ga. |
12-5 |
At-large |
Did not qualify |
| Cumberland Phoenix |
Lebanon, Tenn. |
12-6 |
At-large |
Quarterfinals |
| Cumberlands Patriots |
Williamsburg, Ky. |
12-6 |
At-large |
Did not qualify |
| Georgia Gwinnett Grizzlies |
Lawrenceville, Ga. |
23-0 |
At-large |
Champion for 5th straight year |
| Keiser Seahawks |
West Palm Beach, Fla. |
16-6 |
Automatic |
Runner-up |
| Lindsey Wilson Blue Raiders |
Columbia, Ky. |
10-6 |
Automatic |
2nd round |
| Marian Knights |
Indianapolis, Ind. |
20-9 |
Automatic |
Did not qualify |
| McPherson Bulldogs |
McPherson, Kan. |
11-6 |
Automatic |
2nd round |
| Middle Georgia Knights |
Cochran, Ga. |
13-3 |
At-large |
2nd round |
| Midland Warriors |
Fremont, Neb. |
12-8 |
Automatic |
Did not qualify |
| Mobile Rams |
Mobile, Ala. |
13-5 |
Host berth |
2nd round |
| Northwestern Ohio Racers |
Lima, Ohio |
13-11 |
Automatic |
1st Round |
| Point Skyhawks |
West Point, Ga. |
15-6 |
At-large |
Did not qualify |
| Reinhardt Eagles |
Waleska, Ga. |
16-2 |
Automatic |
Semifinals |
| Tennessee Wesleyan Bulldogs |
Athens, Tenn. |
11-6 |
At-large |
2nd round |
| Texas A&M-Texarkana Eagles |
Texarkana, Texas |
7-6 |
Automatic |
1st Round |
| Union Bulldogs |
Barbourville, Ky. |
12-8 |
At-large |
2nd round |
| William Carey Crusaders |
Hattiesburg, Miss. |
13-3 |
Automatic |
Quarterfinals |
| William Woods Owls |
Fulton, Mo. |
21-2 |
Automatic |
Quarterfinals |
| Xavier Gold Rush |
New Orleans, La. |
14-8 |
At-large |
Semifinals |
|
