NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana women's tennis, ranked third nationally and winner of 33 of its last 39 dual matches, received Monday another at-large bid to the NAIA National Championship tournament.The Gold Nuggets (17-5) qualified for nationals for the eighth consecutive year, the 11th time in 12 years and the 13th time overall.
The final pretournament step — the NAIA's announcement of the bracket and seedings — will occur Tuesday. The five-day tournament will begin May 14 at Copeland-Cox Mobile Tennis Center in Mobile, Ala.
The XULA women are 11-1 this season against top-25 teams and closed their regular season with a 4-3 victory April 20 at West Florida, then ranked No. 15 in NCAA Division II and currently 14th. Neither XULA team played in an end-of-season conference or unaffiliated group qualifying tournament.
The top eight seeds will receive first-round byes and play their first matches May 15. The XULA women, No. 3 in every coaches poll this season, are expected to receive a bye, same as they did in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2018.
The Gold Nuggets reached the national semifinals in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2018. That 2013 team was the first in any XULA sport to reach the semifinals of an NAIA national tournament.
This is the eighth consecutive year and the 10th time in 11 years that both XULA tennis teams qualified for nationals. The XULA men received their school-record 11th consecutive bid to nationals Monday.
Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletics Director for Communications
Department of Athletics & Recreation
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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