May 6, 1998

LAS VEGAS - For the third consecutive season, top tennis teams from across the West will travel to the campus of UNLV to vie for a single berth to the finals of the NCAA Division I Men's Championships.

The six-team field of the NCAA Region VII Championship on May 14-16 at the Fertitta Tennis Complex is led by top-seeded and 10th-ranked Pepperdine (24-5 overall record this season). The Waves, along with second seed and 17th-ranked Boise State (24-8) will receive a bye in the first round of the three-day event.

The third seed is 37th-ranked San Diego State (15-7) followed by 29th-ranked Fresno State (15-10). Host UNLV (11-10), currently ranked 42nd, is the fifth seed and 57th-ranked New Mexico (10-12) rounds out the field as the sixth seed.

Two matches will be played Thursday, two semifinals are slated for Friday and the title match is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday. Tickets are $5 per day for adults/$3 for students.

The Rebels, who boasted last year's NCAA singles and doubles champions, make their fifth-consecutive regional appearance but will attempt to earn their first trip to the finals. UNLV has lost in the semifinals the last two seasons. The Rebels participated in the Region VIII tournament held at UCLA in 1994 and '95 before beginning hosting duties starting in 1996. UNLV moved to its current region after joining the WAC in time for the 1997 season.

The campus also is host to the women's NCAA West Regional from May 15-17 at the Fertitta Tennis Complex. This marks the first time one school has hosted both the men's and women's regionals in the same season.

Eight teams - Stanford, Louisiana State, Georgia, Mississippi State, Illinois, Mississippi, Southern Cal and Texas -- advanced automatically to this year's finals, scheduled for May 23-31 at Athens, Ga.

Winners of the eight regional tournaments scheduled for next weekend across the country will round out the 16-team field. Other schools hosting men's regionals are Princeton, Virginia Commonwealth, Kentucky, Notre Dame, Tulsa, Texas and UCLA.

NCAA MEN'S TENNIS 1998 REGION VII CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE

Thursday, May 14Pepperdine (1)                                BYE   Fresno State (4) vs. UNLV (5)               2 p.m.
San Diego State (3) vs. New Mexico (6)     10 a.m.Boise State (2)                                BYE
Friday, May 15Semifinal                                  12 p.m.Semifinal                                  12 p.m.
Saturday, May 16Final                                      10 a.m.