Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboy Tennis Earns At-Large Bid To NCAA Championships
April 29, 2014 | Cowboy Tennis
April 29, 2014
STILLWATER, Okla. -
The No. 28 Oklahoma State men's tennis team will appear in its first NCAA Tournament since 2009 after being awarded an at-large bid to the 2014 NCAA Championships, the NCAA announced during its selection show on Tuesday.
2014 NCAA Championships Bracket 
The Cowboys (21-7) will travel to California as the No. 2 seed in the Los Angeles regional, hosted by USC, the tournament's No. 1 overall seed. Oklahoma State will take on No. 43 Michigan (16-12) in first round action, set for an 11 a.m. first serve on Saturday, May 10. With a win over the Wolverines, the Pokes would face the winner of USC (26-3) and Idaho (11-13) on Sunday, May 11.
“All the guys worked so hard this year, and it's been a while since Oklahoma State has gone to NCAA's, so it's great to be able to take the team there,” Cowboy Tennis coach Jay Udwadia said. “I feel really proud of the guys. We're going to give it a go, and we're very fortunate to be going. Playing Michigan is going to be fun.“
The Cowboys will make their 18th-overall NCAA Tournament appearance, ending a four-year hiatus that began after falling to Hawaii in the first round of the 2009 NCAA Championships. Oklahoma State will arrive at the competition coming off its best season since 2005, when the Pokes finished second in the Big 12 with a 22-7 record.
Michigan makes its ninth-consecutive trip to the NCAA Championships after finishing sixth in the Big Ten regular-season standings. The Wolverines' Alex Petrone owns the No. 111 spot in ITA's National Singles Rankings, while Alex Buzzi and Berrett Franks stand at No. 32 in the doubles polls.
After guiding Fresno State to three-consecutive NCAA Tournament berths, Udwadia will enter postseason action for the for the first time with Oklahoma State. This season, the second-year head coach of the Cowboys helped the team win its first conference match since 2009 and finish fourth in the Big 12.
“Last weekend in Big 12's, we really took a step forward, and I'm excited about that,” Udwadia said. “Michigan is going to be our first match, and all eyes are going to be on Michigan. We're looking forward to giving them all we have.”
The NCAA Individual Championships will make its selections on Wednesday with a 32-team doubles bracket and a singles competition consisting of 64 of the nation's top singles standouts. For more information and updates, follow @CowboyTennis on Twitter.
NCAA FIRST AND SECOND ROUNDS
(Marks Stadium, Los Angeles, Calif.)
Saturday, May 10
No. 28 Oklahoma State (21-7) vs. No. 43 Michigan (16-12) – 11 a.m.
No. 1 USC (26-3) vs. Idaho (11-13) – 2 p.m.
Sunday, May 11
Oklahoma State/Michigan winner vs. USC/Idaho winner – 3 p.m.
