NCAA D-III Championships Web Site
The Emory University men's tennis team, ranked No. 2 in the nation among Division III squads, opens the NCAA –III Championships with a quarterfinal-round match against No. 13-ranked Johns Hopkins University on Monday morning (May 21) starting at 8:00 am. The D-III Men's and Women's Championships will be held at the Cary Tennis Park in Cary, N.C. Serving as the host institution is Meredith College.
The victor of the Emory-Johns Hopkins clash advances to the semifinal round on Tuesday to play either No. 3 Williams (17-2) or No. 10 Bowdoin (15-7). Other quarterfinal matches include No. 1-ranked and defending national champion Amherst vs. No. 15 Washington University and No. 4 Kenyon tangling with No. 5 Claremont-Mudd Scripps.
The Eagles are no strangers to this stage of the NCAA Championships, having advanced to this round or farther in each of head coach John Browning's 13 seasons at the helm of the program. Emory, 22-0 on the year, has dropped just one Division III match over the past two years, that coming against Amherst in the 2011 title match. The Eagles advanced to the quarterfinals after topping Washington and Lee, 5-0, and North Carolina Wesleyan, 5-1, in last weekend's regional action.
The Emory singles contingent is led by the senior duo of Dillon Pottish and Chris Goodwin. The pair has combined to post a 31-2 dual record this spring with Pottish (19-1) not dropping a Division III match while Goodwin (12-1) lost for the first time last weekend. Pottish was named by the ITA as the 2012 Atlantic South Region Senior Player of the Year while Goodwin ranks as the program's all-time leader in singles wins with mark of 100-21. A quartet of freshmen have played a pivotal role in the team's success this year with Ian Wagner, Brian Kowalski, Eric Halpern and Alex Ruderman posting a won-lost slate of 69-7 between them this spring.
Following the team portion of the Championships, both Goodwin and Pottish will compete in the quest to take home the singles crown. Goodwin became the second player in school annals to capture the title when he topped Pottish in last year's championship showdown. Singles action will commence on Thursday (May 24).
Johns Hopkins, making its first-ever appearance in the national quarterfinals, takes an impressive 19-4 record into the Emory match. The Blue Jays have won their last 15 matches with their last setback coming against Bates on March 25.
Emory and JHU met earlier this season (Mar. 22) with the Eagles claiming a 7-2 win in Atlanta.
2012 NCAA Men's Tennis Championship – Cary, NC
Quarterfinals, Monday, May 21st (all times eastern)
Johns Hopkins (19-4) vs. Emory (22-0) – 8:00 a.m.
Williams (17-2) vs. Bowdoin (15-7) – 8:00 a.m.
Amherst (31-2) vs. Washington University (17-6) – 10:30 a.m.
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (21-6) vs. Kenyon (22-4) – 10:30 a.m.
Semifinals, Tuesday, May 22nd
Emory/Johns Hopkins winner vs. Williams/Bowdoin winner – 9:00 a.m.
Amherst/Washington University winner vs. Claremont/Kenyon –winner – 9:00 a.m.
NCAA Championship, Wednesday, May 23rd
Third place match – 9:00 a.m.
NCAA Championship – 9:00 a.m.