LSU, Southern women get NCAA tennis bids

The LSU women’s tennis team received an at-large bid to face 19th-ranked Texas A&M in the first round of the NCAA Division I Women’s Tennis Tournament, the NCAA announced Tuesday.

Also, unseeded Southern University (10-10) will face No. 16-seed Ole Miss (17-8) on May 11 at Palmer/Salloum Tennis Center in Oxford, Miss.

The first and second rounds will be hosted at Michigan’s Varsity Tennis Center on May 11-12 in Ann Arbor, Mich.

The winner of the May 11 match between LSU (11-12) and Texas A&M (18-5) will face either No. 15 national seed Michigan or the University of Illinois-Chicago.

“We are really excited to be back in the Tournament,” LSU head coach Tony Minnis said. “The good thing about now is everything is fresh. Hopefully we can bounce back against a familiar opponent in Texas A&M.”

LSU is making its 16th all-time NCAA Tournament appearance, with 15 postseason trips coming under the Minnis’ direction. The Lady Tigers return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2009 when the LSU advanced to the Round of 32.

The Lady Tigers squared off against the Aggies earlier this season falling 5-2 on Feb. 5 at W.T. Dub Robinson Stadium.

LSU MEN TO FACE NORTHWESTERN: The 21st-ranked LSU men’s tennis team begins its NCAA tournament run on at 8 a.m. May 12 when it takes on No. 43 Northwestern at Ambler Tennis Stadium in Durham, N.C., the NCAA announced Tuesday.

The contest will be the first between the Tigers (14-10) and Northwestern (14-9) this season. The winner of the match will advance to take on either George Washington or the No. 8-seed Duke Blue Devils at 1 p.m. that day.

“This is a very strong regional with Northwestern being a tough first-round opponent,” head coach Jeff Brown said. “It should be an exciting first round with the winner going on to play an elite Duke team.”

The Tigers hold a 28-27 all-time record in the NCAA Tournament. This will mark the 27th time that LSU has made the tournament.

The SEC has 10 schools in the NCAA tournament as LSU is joined by Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, Auburn, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, South Carolina and Florida. Georgia, Kentucky, Ole Miss, Florida and Mississippi State will all act as national hosts for the tournament.