May 1, 2007

LAS VEGAS - The 66th-ranked UNLV men's tennis team won't have to go far to compete in its first NCAA Regional since 1999 as the Rebels found out they will play in Los Angeles as the field for the 123rd Annual Division I Men's Tennis Championship was announced on Tuesday.

Mountain West Conference champion UNLV (13-13) will face ninth-ranked host and Pac-10 Conference king UCLA (19-3) on Friday, May 11 at 1 p.m. The following day, the winner of that match will take on the winner of 24th-ranked Virginia Commonwealth (18-8), an at-large choice from the Colonial Athletic Association, vs. 36th-ranked Texas Tech (13-9), which was an at-large choice out of the Big 12 Conference.

Champions of the regionals will advance to the NCAA Round of 16, which will be played May 17-22 at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex in Athens, Ga.

"Obviously we're very excited to go to our first regional since I've been here," said fourth-year head coach Owen Hambrook. "It will be a great opportunity to play at UCLA on their home courts. It's a plus that we don't have much of a trip and will be playing in our own time zone. Everyone is excited and ready to go."

The Rebels last played the Bruins on Jan. 25, 2005, which resulted in a 7-0 win by UCLA. UNLV, which is the lone MWC representative in the men's bracket, will be making its seventh NCAA trip all-time and holds a record of 3-6 in team play. This will be the third time that the Rebels will play in a regional at the Los Angeles Tennis Center, joining the 1994 and '95 squads.

With the UNLV women's team having earned an at-large bid to its bracket, both the Rebels and Lady Rebels are in the NCAA tournament in the same season for only the third time in history, along with 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 MEN'S TENNIS REGIONALS (At Los Angeles)
Friday, May 11#24 Virginia Commonwealth vs. #36 Texas Tech - 10:00 a.m.#9 UCLA vs. #66 UNLV - 1:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 12Men's Second Round - 3:00 p.m.
PREVIOUS UNLV MEN'S TENNIS NCAA APPEARANCES
1999 At Fresno, CALost 4-0 in semifinals to Fresno State
1998 At Las VegasWon 4-3 in first round over Fresno StateLost 4-3 in semifinals to Pepperdine
1997 At Las VegasWon 4-3 in first round over New MexicoLost 4-2 in semifinals to Fresno State
1996 At Las VegasWon 4-1 in first round over CaliforniaLost 4-3 in semifinals to Pepperdine
1995 At Los AngelesLost 4-1 in semifinals to San Diego
1994  At Los AngelesLost 4-1 in first round to California