Carolina Set To Host NCAA Regionals

CHAPEL HILL - For the second year in a row, the North Carolina women's tennis team begins NCAA play as the No. 1 ranked club in the nation and the No. 2 overall seed in the NCAA Team Championship. New for this year, all matches on the outdoor courts at Cone-Kenfield Tennis center will live steam all six courts.

The Tar Heels are hosting Oklahoma, South Carolina State and Winthrop this weekend in Chapel Hill. Carolina's men's tennis team is also home Friday and Saturday for regional hosting duties.

Oklahoma and Winthrop begin the women's portion of the weekend on Saturday at 10 a.m., followed by UNC and South Carolina State at 1 p.m.

Winners on Saturday will go head-to-head Sunday at 1 p.m. for the right to advance to the newly established NCAA Super Regional round. Carolina would host a super-regional match if able to advance through the opening two rounds on Saturday, May 11 at Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center.

North Carolina (29-1) is making its 21st successive appearance in the NCAA Team Championship and 16th in a row under the leadership of head coach Brian Kalbas. The four-time reigning ACC champions own a 44-20 mark in NCAA competition, and have advanced beyond the regionals every season since 2010 and 14 times overall.

Opponent Capsules

South Carolina State (scsuathletics.com)
Location: Orangeburg, S.C.
Rankings: N/A
Record: 16-4, 5-0 MEAC
Bid: Automatic Qualifier (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champion)
Carolina Series History in NCAA Tournament: Carolina leads 3-0 (UNC won first-round matches 4-0 in 2006, 2008 and 2013)

The Lady Bulldogs defeated Bethune-Cookman 4-1 to win the 2019 MEAC title -- their first since 2017 and 14th overall. Hardeep Judge, the MEAC Coach of the Year, was named the tournament's Outstanding Coach, while Zainab Bendahhou -- a First Team All-MEAC selection -- was the Outstanding Performer.

Oklahoma (soonersports.com)
Location: Norman, Okla.
Team Ranking: No. 32
Singles/Doubles Rankings: Oleksandra Korashvili (26); Ivana Corley/Jasmine Asghar (66)
Record: 16-8, 5-5 Big 12
Bid: At-Large (Big 12)
Carolina Series History in NCAA Tournament: N/A

Junior Oleksandra Korashvili is the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year and earned All-Big 12 Singles First Team honors. Martina Capurro and Camila Romero were selected to the singles second team and earned doubles second-team honors as a duo. The Sooners suffered a narrow 4-3 loss to No. 26 Texas Tech in the Big 12 Championship quarterfinals. OU, who is making its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2015, defeated Winthrop, 4-0, in late January at the ITA Kick-Off Weekend in Nashville, Tenn.

Winthrop (winthropeagles.com)
Location: Rock Hill, S.C.
Team Ranking: N/A
Singles/Doubles Rankings: Lauren Proctor (55); Lauren Proctor/Megan Kauffman (44)
Record: 16-7, 9-0 Big South
Bid: Automatic Qualifier (Big South champion)
Carolina Series History in NCAA Tournament: Carolina leads 1-0 (UNC won a first-round match 4-0 in 2004)

Winthrop makes its 17th appearance in the NCAA Tournament after winning the program's 21st Big South Conference title. Head coach Cid Carvalho announced his retirement earlier this week after 34 years at the helm of the Eagles men's and women's tennis programs. Hired in the 1985-86 season, he coached both teams for 26 seasons, before the positions were divided in 2011. He has been voted Big South women's coach the year 11 times.

Megan Kauffman and Lauren Proctor were selected for the NCAA Doubles Championship. The duo advanced to the quarterfinals last year in Winston-Salem, N.C. Proctor also qualified for the singles competition.

Tickets Prices

All-Session Pass (everyone)	$9
Single Session (adults)	$5
College students/Kids 6-17	$3

NCAA Chapel Hill Regional Schedule
Friday, May 3
Noon Gates Open
M: 1 p.m. Georgia vs. Elon
M: 4 p.m. North Carolina vs. Navy

Saturday, May 4
9 a.m. Gates Open
W: 10 a.m. Oklahoma vs. Winthrop
W: 1 p.m. North Carolina vs. South Carolina State
M: 4 p.m. Second Round

Sunday, May 5
W: 1 p.m. Second Round

Next Event

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