Rush become XULA's 1st to reach 10 straight nationals

NEW ORLEANS — By receiving an at-large bid Monday to the NAIA National Championships, men's tennis became the first sport at Xavier University of Louisiana to qualify for nationals in 10 consecutive years.
     
The Gold Rush — 11-11 and ranked fourth — were one of 24 teams selected for nationals. It's the 10th time overall that the XULA men qualified.
     
The final pretournament step — the NAIA's announcement of the bracket and seedings — will occur no later than 1 p.m. Tuesday. The five-day tournament will begin May 15 at Coprland-Cox Mobile Tennis Center in Mobile, Ala.
     
The top eight seeds will receive first-round byes and play their first matches May 16. XULA received a bye six of the previous seven seasons, missing only in 2014.
     
The Gold Rush were NAIA national runner-up in 2016 and 2017, falling both years to Georgia Gwinnett in the final. The Grizzlies seek their fifth consecutive national championshhip.
     
XULA reached the quarterfinals each of the last six years.

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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