FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 5-7-01

AASU Seeded 4th At NCAA Division II Women's Tennis Championships

SAVANNAH, Ga. – The No. 4-ranked Armstrong Atlantic State women's tennis team will be the No. 4 seed in the upcoming NCAA Division II Women's Tennis National Championships in Pensacola, Fla., on May 10-13 and will face a familiar opponent in the first round.

The Lady Pirates (21-5) will face Presbyterian College (21-10) in their first-round match at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 10. The Lady Pirates defeated Presbyterian, 7-2, earlier this season in a non-conference match at AASU on April 8.

AASU is making its seventh consecutive NCAA Division II Women's Tennis National Championship appearance and has recorded two previous NCAA titles – in 1995 and 1996 – and three other runner-up finishes in 1997-99. Last season the Lady Pirates advanced to the quarterfinals before losing to eventual national champion BYU-Hawaii.

The BYU-Hawaii Seasiders – the top seed in the championship – are the top seed in the field and loom as a possible semifinal opponent for the Lady Pirates. Should the Lady Pirates knock off Presbyterian in the first round, they would face the winner of Barry and West Liberty State on Friday, May 11, in the quarterfinals. AASU defeated the Lady Bucs, 5-2, earlier this season and has never played West Liberty State.

Lynn University, the No. 2 seed, and West Florida, the No. 3 seed, round out the top seeds in the 16-team bracket. The championship concludes on Sunday, May 13, with a noon championship match on the campus of the University of West Florida.

- Pirates -