The University of Mississippi Athletics
Road to Waco Begins in Oxford
5/6/2015 | Men's Tennis
NCAA Notes (PDF) | NCAA Tournament Central (Oxford) | NCAA Bracket
OXFORD, Miss. -- The road to Waco for the No. 14 seeded Ole Miss men's tennis team begins this weekend, as the Rebels host the NCAA Championships first and second rounds at the Palmer/Salloum Tennis Center.
It's a big weekend in Oxford, as baseball hosts arch-rival Mississippi State for a three-game series Thursday-Saturday and graduation takes place on Saturday. The Rebel netters are hoping to attract a big crowd to help them advance to the Sweet Sixteen in Waco, Texas May 14-19.
"We are very excited to host the first and second rounds for the 12th time," head coach Toby Hansson said. "Oxford will be buzzing this weekend with a huge baseball series and graduation. We want to encourage Rebel fans to come out and see some exciting tennis and help us advance to the Sweet Sixteen."
The Rebels will face Alabama State in the first round Friday at 3 p.m. The first match of the day will feature Columbia and Georgia Tech at Noon. The winners of both matches will meet Saturday at 1 p.m. for a berth in the Sweet Sixteen.
"We've been working hard the last two and half weeks since the SEC Tournament and the guys have been doing a great job in their preparation for the NCAAs," Hansson said. "This is what you work for all season, and now it's time to put it all out there."
This weekend will mark the final time for seniors Nik Scholtz and William Kallberg to play on the Galtney Courts at the tennis center and both want to finish on a high note.
"We have had a good season, but we can still have a great season, a very memorable one," said Scholtz who came back for this opportunity and to graduate. "This is where it all begins. You train the entire season for this moment, so we'll be ready." Â
This will be the third NCAA tournament for junior Stefan Lindmark, who joined Scholtz on the All-SEC first team, and the second for sophomores Vinod Gowda and Ricardo Jorge. Freshmen Gustav Hansson (second team All-SEC), Zvonimir Babic and Grey Hamilton will get their first taste of the big stage this weekend.
"I'll make sure the younger guys know what's at stake, and they'll be ready," Scholtz said.
24 and Counting ...
Ole Miss earned its 24th overall and 22nd consecutive NCAA bid. The Rebels first made the NCAA
Championships in 1989 and then again in 1992. They began their climb toward the top in 1994, with their third NCAA appearance and have been to the NCAAs every year since.
Rebels at NCAA Championships ...
The Rebels own a 48-23 overall record in NCAA competition. They have advanced to the Sweet Sixteen 16 times, the Elite Eight nine times, the Final Four four times and the Final in 1995. See page 4 for Ole Miss' complete NCAA results. Â
Home Sweet Home ...
Ole Miss is a tough assignment for opponents in Oxford. The Rebels own a 163-33 (.832 winning percentage) home record since 2000 and are 10-1 this year. In the NCAA Championships, the Rebels are 19-3 at home.
Two for Two ...
Ole Miss is one of 33 schools to have both its men's and women's tennis teams in the NCAA Championships. The women earned their seventh consecutive NCAA bid and are headed to Coral Gables, Florida to face Denver in the first round Friday at 10 a.m. CT. The winner will meet Miami/North Florida in the championship match Saturday at 1 p.m. CT. Â
Scouting Alabama State ...
Alabama State (12-15) is making its first NCAA appearance in school history. The Hornets captured the Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament to earn the league's automatic bid. The 12 wins are the most in program history. Anuk Christiansz was named SWAC Coach of the Year.Junior Jarred Thompson was named All-SWAC First Team, while his teammates, sophomore Takura Mlambo and junior Ronald Mataba, made the second team. Takura Mlambo was named SWAC Tournament MVP and Patrik Cvik, Karlo Skvorc and Jarred Thompson were named to the SWAC All-Tournament Team.
The Winner Gets ...
The winner of the Ole Miss/Alabama State match will face the winner of the Columbia/Georgia Tech match Saturday at 1 p.m. for the right to advance to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen in Waco, Texas.
#OM20for20 ...
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the 1995 team, who made a historic run to the NCAA Final. The Rebels defeated two-time defending NCAA Champion Southern California in the Sweet Sixteen and then took down Georgia in the semifinals in front of 5,000 fans at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex. The Rebels lost to Stanford in the final, but finished the year with the highest final national ranking to date, No. 3. The `95 Rebels were led by SEC Player of the Year, Mahesh Bhupathi, who went on to win the NCAA Doubles Championship that year with Ali Hamadeh. It marked the school's first NCAA individual title. The `95 Rebels boasted five All-Americans: Bhupathi, Hamadeh, Johan Hede, Johan Landsberg and Remi Feneon. Landsberg and Feneon reached the semifinals in doubles. Check out our social media accounts daily for a look back at 20 top moments from that year and be sure to use the hashtag, #OM20for20.
For more information on Ole Miss Men's Tennis, follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissMTennis, on Facebook at OleMissMTennis and on Instagram at OleMissMTennis.
Players Mentioned
