Rebel Netters Earn 15th Straight National Team Indoor Invite

OXFORD, Miss. -- The Ole Miss men’s tennis team earned its 15th consecutive invitation to the prestigious USTA/ITA National Team Indoor, as the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) announced the field for the 2008 championship. The event, being hosted by the University of Washington in Seattle, will take place February 15-18.

The 16-team field is based on the preseason national poll, but also guarantees each of the eight regions a berth in the tournament. 

“It’s a tremendous honor to again be part of this outstanding championship,” head coach Billy Chadwick said.  “The National Team Indoor is regarded as the top indoor event and is second only to the NCAA Championships.”   

Leading the field is the defending champion and 2007 NCAA Champion, Georgia.   The rest of the draw includes Alabama, Baylor, Illinois, Notre Dame, North Carolina, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Penn State, Southern California, Texas, UCLA, Virginia and Washington.

The Rebels are the only SEC team to have qualified for the National Team Indoor 15 straight years and have the second longest consecutive appearance streak in the nation behind perennial national power UCLA.

Ole Miss reached the semifinals of this event in 1996, 1997, 2004 and 2005.  Last year, the Rebels downed Boise State in the first round before losing a heartbreaking 4-3 decision to Virginia.  On the final day, the Rebels defeated 2006 NCAA Champion, Pepperdine, to finish tied for fifth.

In 2007, the Rebels captured their sixth consecutive SEC Western Division title, finished second overall in the conference (behind Georgia), reached the SEC Tournament final and advanced to the NCAA “Sweet Sixteen” for the 12^th time.    Since 2003, the Rebels have finished no lower than second in the overall SEC standings, (a feat no other league school can claim), while capturing back-to-back overall conference crowns in 2004 and 2005. 

Six of the top seven return in 2008, in addition to 2006 All-SEC Bram ten Berge, who redshirted last season.  The lineup features two All-Americans and five All-SEC honorees.   Leading the way is senior Erling Tveit, who entered the fall ranked No. 7 in the nation.

The latest individual national rankings as well as the preseason team rankings will come out in January.

The Rebels open the 2008 season Jan. 19-22 at the SEC Indoor Championships.  Their first dual match will be Jan. 24 at home against Arkansas-Little Rock.  Highlighting the home schedule is a Jan. 26 showdown against Ohio State, who ended the 2007 season ranked No. 3 in the nation.

The University of Mississippi Athletics

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