Bracket set for PAC Men’s Tennis Championship Tournament

Bracket set for PAC Men’s Tennis Championship Tournament

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NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. (pacathletics.org)--The Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) Men’s Tennis Championship Tournament is scheduled begin with quarterfinal action Tuesday, April 23.

Washington & Jefferson College, led by eighth-year head coach Chris Faulk, earned the championship tournament’s top seed after finishing 7-0 in the league this spring. The Presidents are seeking their fourth PAC title, having won three straight between 1967-69. 

Grove City College and first-year head coach Henry Boyle earned the number two seed after going 6-1 in league matches. Grove City has 27 PAC titles, including 26 straight from 1991-2016. Saint Vincent College, led by second-year head coach Brian Niemiec, claimed the number three seed with a 5-2 PAC record this spring. Bethany College and second-year head coach Brad Jones secured the number four seed after finishing the league schedule 4-3. Bethany owns three PAC titles, winning three straight between 1966-68.

This year’s championship features the implementation of a team championship bracket format, with the quarterfinal round Tuesday (April 23), semifinal round Friday (April 26) and third-place and championship matches Saturday (April 27). Tuesday’s quarterfinal matches will be hosted by the championship tournament's top four seeds, with the nine-point team scoring format played to match completion. Wednesday will serve as an alternative rain date if quarterfinal matches are unable to be contested Tuesday. 

Friday’s semifinals and Saturday’s third-place and championship matches will be hosted by W&J at its on-campus Janet Swanson Tennis Center, which has served as the home site for its tennis programs since 2015. Friday’s semifinals, along with Saturday’s third-place and championship matches, will also utilize the nine-point team scoring format with matches played to decision (first team to five flight wins). 

The PAC had sponsored a flighted championship, with individual players and doubles pairings exclusively seeded and not based on a team's regular-season finish, since the league’s first championship event in 1956. The PAC Championships were previously hosted by the Pennbriar Athletic Club in Erie, Pa. The facility’s indoor tennis center, which opened in 1974, shut down its tennis operations last July. Pennbriar had hosted the PAC Championships since 2002.

Please note: the PAC Tennis Championships are scheduled to be played outdoors, if possible. In the event of inclement weather on Friday and/or Saturday, matches will be relocated to the Greensburg Racquet Club (Greensburg, Pa.).

This year’s team champion will secure the PAC’s automatic qualifying bid (Pool A) to the NCAA Division III Championships. Team selections for the Division III Championships are scheduled to be announced Monday, May 6 with the first, second and third rounds slated for Thursday-Sunday, May 9-12.
 
2019 PAC Men's Tennis Championship Tournament
Tuesday, April 23
4 p.m. Quarterfinal (8) Thiel [0-7] at (1) W&J [7-0] Washington, Pa.
3:30 p.m. Quarterfinal (7) Westminster [1-6] at (2) Grove City [6-1] Grove City, Pa.
1 p.m. Quarterfinal (6) Geneva [2-5] at (3) Saint Vincent [5-2] Greensburg, Pa.
4:30 p.m. Quarterfinal (5) Waynesburg [3-4] at (4) Bethany [4-3] Bethany, W.Va.
Friday, April 26
1 p.m. Semifinal (1) Lowest remaining seed vs. highest remaining seed Washington, Pa.
4 p.m. Semifinal (2) Lower remaining middle seed vs. higher remaining middle seed Washington, Pa.
Saturday, April 27
1 p.m. Third-place Loser of Semifinal 1 vs. loser of Semifinal 2 Washington, Pa.
4 p.m. Championship Winner of Semifinal 1 vs. winner of Semifinal 2 Washington, Pa.