INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (pacathletics.org) - The Allegheny College men's tennis team learned its first-round opponent for the upcoming NCAA Division III Championships when the NCAA announced the full 44-team bracket Monday afternoon.

The three-time defending Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) champs will travel to the Baltimore regional, hosted by Johns Hopkins University, to battle Nichols College in the opening round on Friday, May 9. The winner will advance to the second round on Saturday against No. 12-ranked Middlebury College.

The other first-round matchup in the Baltimore regional will pit No. 33 North Carolina Wesleyan University against York College of Pennsylvania, with the winner set to face the hosts from No. 7 Johns Hokpins on Saturday.

More details about the opening rounds of the NCAA Division III Championships, including match times, will be announced in the near future.

Allegheny (20-6), ranked 68th in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) poll, will make its third consecutive appearance in the national championship tournament. Last season, the Gators made history with their first-ever NCAA tournament victory, a 5-0 sweep of Messiah University in the first round. Allegheny enters this weekend's regional riding a 13-match win streak, which includes an undefeated record against PAC opponents and sweeps of Saint Vincent College and Grove City College in the PAC Championship Tournament. Dating back to the start of the team's spring break trip in Florida, Allegheny has won 17 of its last 18 matches.

Nichols (12-11), located in Dudley, Massachusetts, will make its 12th NCAA Championship appearance this weekend. The Bison captured the Conference of New England (CNE) title last week with a 4-1 win over Endicott College in the semis and a 4-0 victory over Colby-Sawyer College in the finals. Although Nichols' record is only one match above .500, the Bison regularly challenge Division I opponents, including Binghamton University, Villanova University, and Youngstown State University. Like Allegheny, the Bison won their first-round match last season against Farmingdale State College before getting bounced in the second round.

Contributed by Allegheny Athletic Communications