Rush get NAIA-leading 7th first-round bye in 8 years

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana men's tennis returned to a familiar spot Tuesday. For the fourth straight year and the seventh time in eight years, the Gold Rush received a first-round bye to next week's NAIA National Championships at Mobile, Ala.

The Gold Rush (11-11) will play Middle Georgia (10-4) or Asbury (15-1) in the round of 16 at 1 p.m. May 16 — one week from Wednesday — at Copeland-Cox Mobile Tennis Center (851 Gaillard Drive, zip code 36608, phone 251-208-5181). Admission is free for every round.

Middle Georgia, the No. 13 seed, and 20th-seeded Asbury will play at 1:30 p.m. next Tuesday. Asbury has a 14-dual win streak.

XULA's seven first-round byes are the most by an NAIA men's team in the last eight tournaments.
The tournament's top five seeds are the same as the most recent coaches poll May 1. Five-time defending champion Georgia Gwinnett is seeded first, followed by Keiser, Lindsey Wilson, XULA and William Carey.

XULA played nearly two-thirds of its regular-season matches against NCAA opponents. The Gold Rush are 5-3 against NAIA opponents, including road victories against top-8 seeds William Carey and Mobile.

This will be the Gold Rush's 10th appearance at nationals and 10th in a row. The XULA men were the NAIA national runner-up in 2016 and 2017.

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