The disappointment of last year’s selection show was replaced by jubilation this season for the Arizona men’s tennis team.
UA will host the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. The No. 14-seeded Wildcats (21-6) will face Boise State on Friday at the Robson Tennis Center.
The tournament draw was announced Monday, with UA players and coaches gathered, waiting to hear their name called.
Last year, UA had hopes of hosting but was sent on the road instead despite winning the Pac-12 regular-season title.
“It is an unbelievable feeling, especially (after) what happened last year when we thought we were going to host and we didn’t,” senior captain Jonas Ziverts said. “It is an unbelievable feeling, and doing it for the first time in program history is great.”
Boise State has some familiar faces. The Broncos’ head coach is Luke Shields, the older brother of UA coach Clancy Shields. Former Wildcat Jett Middleton plays for Boise State. Clancy Shields also played tennis at Boise State from 2005-08.
The Arizona men's tennis team celebrates upon learning that the Wildcats are hosting an NCAA regional for the first time in program history (video by Ari Koslow / Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
“To see (us) playing my brother right there was a little bittersweet because I’m their biggest fan,” Shields said. “That’s my alma mater, but at the end of the day, it’s like we’re hosting on our home courts. It’s something we’ve never done in our program’s history.
“It’s an incredible accomplishment.”
The Broncos are 21-7 and most recently won the Mountain West Conference championship. Shields noted that he saw them play earlier this season and understands the challenge UA will be up against.
“It is going to be a big-time challenge for us to play them,” Shields said. “They’re well-coached, and we just got to go out there and do our thing and not get caught up in any of the emotions.”
“I just got to work on my parents to make sure they’re cheering for the right son.”
In the last two years, UA has had to travel across the country to Kentucky in 2021 and North Carolina last season in the regionals they’ve been chosen to. Home courts provide the Wildcats a number of advantages, including familiarity with the courts, weather, sleeping in their own beds and having the crowd behind them.
Arizona men's tennis coach Clancy Shields is hoping for a big turnout this weekend at the Robson Tennis Center.
Those factors have helped carry Arizona to a combined 39-1 home record over the past three seasons, with the lone loss coming against Baylor two years ago.
“It has been a really big challenge the last couple of years (traveling) and now to do it on our home courts and to let the guys sleep in their own beds and to do it in front of the fans that have meant so much to us this year, have come to all our matches and supported us,” Shields said. “It is really a team effort and there’s been a lot of people who have made this season possible and we want to play in front of them.”
After defeating Washington 4-0 in the first round of the Pac-12 Tournament, UA fell to Utah 4-3 in the semifinals. At that point, all UA could do was wait to see if it would host. The team had a feeling heading into Monday that they would hear its name called as a host but didn’t want to jinx it after what happened last year.
“We didn’t want to say too much or think about it too much,” Ziverts said. “We knew we were up there but we didn’t want to take anything for granted after what happened last year. It was great news.”
Shields hopes for a huge turnout at the Robson Tennis Center for the first and possibly second round.
“We want to have that place packed,” Shields said. “I would invite everyone out in the city of Tucson. This has never happened before so come on out, join our team, join our program and be part of this. You can really make a big difference.”
Drop shots
Arizona will play Boise State at a time to be determined. It will be $5 per ticket, which can be purchased on-site with limited seating available.
The winner will take on the winner of the Florida-Oklahoma State match on Saturday in the second round. The No. 20-ranked Gators (14-13) play the Cowboys (13-13) on Friday.
Arizona was one of seven Pac-12 schools to make the NCAA Tournament. The others were No. 10-seeded USC, Utah, Stanford, UCLA, Cal and Arizona State. The Sun Devils will take on Illinois in the first round.
Texas is the top overall seed. The Longhorns beat UA twice this season. Arizona would face No. 3-seeded Ohio State in the Sweet 16 if the seeds hold through the first two rounds.
