May 1, 2007

LAS VEGAS - The 46th-ranked UNLV women's tennis team is headed to an NCAA Regional for the sixth time in its history as the Lady Rebels on Tuesday learned they had earned one of 33 at-large bids to the tournament.

UNLV (19-7) will travel to Berkeley, Calif., to face 18th-ranked Arizona State (12-9), an at-large choice from the Pac-10 Conference, on Saturday, May 12. The following day, the winner of that match will take on the winner of 10th-ranked host California (19-6), another Pac-10 at-large selection, vs. 74th-ranked Southeastern Louisiana (14-8), which won the Southland Conference.

Champions of the regionals will advance to the NCAA Round of 16, which will be played May 18-22 at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex in Athens, Ga.

"It's a great feeling to get back into postseason play," eighth-year UNLV head coach Kevin Cory said of his fourth NCAA trip since taking over the program. "We are being sent to a very strong regional but are looking forward to taking on the challenge of facing the Devils."

The Lady Rebels last played the Sun Devils in a dual match on Feb. 17, 2001, in Tempe and lost 7-0. ASU, which is making its 20th consecutive trip to the NCAA event, boasts wins over three teams currently ranked in the nation's top 15.

UNLV has now earned a spot in four of the last six NCAA tournaments and holds a 1-5 all-time record in team play. Three other Mountain West Conference women's programs appeared in the 64-team field: 38th-ranked TCU and 49th-ranked San Diego State were at-large choices while 28th-ranked BYU earned an automatic bid by downing UNLV 4-0 in the final of last weekend's league tournament.

"Having four teams on the women's side getting in shows that we have one of the strongest conferences in the country," said Cory.

With the UNLV men's team having earned the MWC automatic bid, both the Rebels and Lady Rebels are in the NCAA tournament in the same season for only the third time in history, joining 1997 and '98.

The fields for the individual singles and doubles tournaments, which will take place at the same site after team play concludes, will be announced on Wednesday.

2007 NCAA WOMEN'S TENNIS REGIONALS (At Berkeley, CA)

May 12:  Semifinals11 a.m.#10 California (19-6) vs. #74 Southeast Louisiana (21-2)
2 p.m.#46 UNLV (19-7) vs. #18 Arizona State (12-9)

May 13:  Regional Final12 p.m.
PREVIOUS UNLV WOMEN'S TENNIS NCAA APPEARANCES2005 At Austin, TXLost 4-0 in semifinals to Texas A&M
2003 At SeattleLost 4-0 in semifinals to Illinois
2002 At Los AngelesLost 4-2 in semifinals to Oregon
1998 At Las VegasWon 5-1 in first round over Washington StateLost 5-2 in semifinals to Pepperdine
1997 At San DiegoLost 5-4 in first round to host San Diego