Rebel Netters Ready For ITA National Indoor

OXFORD, Miss. Members of the Ole Miss men’s tennis team will be among the nation’s top men’s and women’s players competing in the ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships in Columbus, Ohio, beginning Thursday.

This is the second of three national tournaments for singles and doubles during the 2007-08 collegiate tennis season. The Ohio State University is hosting this week’s championships at the Racquet Club of Columbus.

Senior Erling Tveit is the No. 6 seed in the 32-player singles draw.  He will open up with Bassam Beidas of Pepperdine in the first round.  The two-time All-American in singles and doubles is making his third consecutive appearance in the National Indoor, also qualifying in 2005 after winning the Southeast Regional Tournament, and in 2006.

Fellow senior Matthias Wellermann earned his way into the elite field by winning the ITA Southeast Regional Championship last week in Lexington, Ky.  Wellermann (9-1) won the nation’s toughest region, as 11 teams made the NCAA Championships last year.   He will face the No. 5 seed, Bryan Koniecko of Ohio State in the first round.

In doubles, Tveit and junior Jonas Berg are seeded No. 2 in the 16-team draw.  They began the year ranked No. 20 in the nation, but had never played together.  After winning the Baylor Intercollegiate and making the finals of the All-American Championships, they are now one of the top teams in the nation.  In the first round they will face Kellen Damico and Luis Diaz Barriga of Texas.

Matches begin at 10 a.m. CT Thursday. First round doubles are followed by opening round singles.  Live stats throughout the tournament will be available as well as video highlights and interviews of the final rounds starting on Saturday.  To access the live stats, go to www.olemisssports.com and click on the link.

The University of Mississippi Athletics

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