WT Tabbed No. 8 Overall Seed for 2021 NCAA Tournament
5/3/2021 5:57:00 PM | Women's Tennis
Bears open postseason play against Texas A&M Corpus Christi Friday at 5 p.m.
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
Before the NCAA Tournament bracket was revealed Monday, Joey Scrivano prepared his eighth-ranked Baylor women's tennis team (23-4) for the worst.
What the Bears got was a host site for the first time in four years and their highest seed since 2015, when they made a run to the quarterfinals as a No. 8 seed. But, they also got a potentially difficult second-round matchup against an 18th-ranked Duke team (15-6) that already has a win over seventh-seeded Florida State.
"They're not just handing out invitations to the Sweet 16, you have to earn those things," said Scrivano, whose eighth-seeded Bears will face Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (22-4) at 5 p.m. Friday in a first-round match at the Hurd Tennis Center. "So, I'm not surprised. It's definitely a challenging bracket, but this team has been through a lot of challenges and they've risen to the occasion. That's what we're going to have to do again."
The No. 2 seed in Waco, Duke will face third-seeded Alabama (12-12) at 2 p.m. Friday, followed by Baylor's matchup against fourth-seeded A&M-Corpus Christ, with the winners advancing to Saturday's second-round match at 5. Second-round winners earn a trip to the final site and a Sweet-16 matchup in Orlando, Fla.
This is the Bears' first NCAA Tournament bid since 2018, when they knocked off North Carolina State, 4-3, before falling 4-0 to 14th-ranked UCLA in Los Angeles.
"This team has been through a lot of adversity, but that adversity has been fertilizer for their growth," Scrivano said. "A big reason they're one of the best teams in the country is because of what they've gone through. They've really had that mindset: what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. That's why this team is so mentally tough."
Baylor is 9-4 against the NCAA Tournament field, including non-conference wins over 10th-seeded Texas A&M, Rice and Arizona State. The Bears were the runners-up in the Big 12 regular season and lost to second-ranked Texas for the fourth time in the Big 12 Championship final.
The Big 12 is well represented in the tournament, with national seeds Texas (#2) and Baylor joined by Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and Iowa State, making its first-ever appearance.
Seeded fourth at the Southland Conference Tournament, A&M-Corpus Christi swept through the first two rounds and beat seventh-seeded Lamar, 4-0, in the final to earn the league's automatic bid.
"We've just got to keep having that attitude of gratitude and really just focus on what a blessing it is to be competing in the NCAA Championship," Scrivano said. "You have to really do something to get to this level and be seeded in the top eight. That's an accomplishment in itself. We're just focusing on the positives of a great year, then staying in the moment and getting ready for the weekend."
WACO, Texas – The No. 8-ranked Baylor women's tennis team received some good news Monday night. Not only are the Bears in the NCAA Tournament as the No. 8 overall seed, but Baylor University will serve as host for the first and second rounds of both the men's and women's tournaments.
The top-seeded Bears (23-4) drew No. 4 seed Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (22-4) in the first round with the expected match time at 5 p.m. on Friday at the Hurd Tennis Center. If Baylor advances, it will play the winner of No. 2 seed Duke (15-6) and No. 3 seed Alabama (12-12) Saturday at 5 p.m. to see who advances to the super regionals in Orlando, Fla., on Sunday, May 16.
Monday's announcement marks the 22nd time in program history that the Baylor women will participate in the NCAA Tournament and the 15th time under head coach Joey Scrivano.
Baylor returns to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2018 with Angelina Shakhraichuk, Kristina Sorokolet and Jessica Hinojosa all with experience at the national event for the Bears. BU last hosted the first and second rounds in 2017.
The Baylor women finished as the runner-up in the Big 12 regular-season standings with an 8-1 mark and advanced to the Big 12 Championship final before losing to top-seeded and No. 2-ranked Texas for the fourth time this season.
Check back on BaylorBears.com for updates on ticket and spectator information for the 2021 NCAA Tennis Tournament in Waco. Follow Baylor women's tennis all season long on social media using the handle @BaylorWTennis.
NCAA TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
(Hurd Tennis Center, Waco, Texas)
First Round:
Friday, May 7:
No. 2 seed Duke (15-6) vs. No. 3 seed Alabama (12-12), 2 p.m.
No. 1 seed Baylor (23-4) vs. No. 4 seed Texas A&M Corpus Christi (22-4), 5 p.m.
Second Round:
Saturday, May 8:
Duke/Alabama winner vs. Baylor/Texas A&M-Corpus Christi winner, 5 p.m.
Baylor Bear Insider
Before the NCAA Tournament bracket was revealed Monday, Joey Scrivano prepared his eighth-ranked Baylor women's tennis team (23-4) for the worst.
What the Bears got was a host site for the first time in four years and their highest seed since 2015, when they made a run to the quarterfinals as a No. 8 seed. But, they also got a potentially difficult second-round matchup against an 18th-ranked Duke team (15-6) that already has a win over seventh-seeded Florida State.
"They're not just handing out invitations to the Sweet 16, you have to earn those things," said Scrivano, whose eighth-seeded Bears will face Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (22-4) at 5 p.m. Friday in a first-round match at the Hurd Tennis Center. "So, I'm not surprised. It's definitely a challenging bracket, but this team has been through a lot of challenges and they've risen to the occasion. That's what we're going to have to do again."
The No. 2 seed in Waco, Duke will face third-seeded Alabama (12-12) at 2 p.m. Friday, followed by Baylor's matchup against fourth-seeded A&M-Corpus Christ, with the winners advancing to Saturday's second-round match at 5. Second-round winners earn a trip to the final site and a Sweet-16 matchup in Orlando, Fla.
This is the Bears' first NCAA Tournament bid since 2018, when they knocked off North Carolina State, 4-3, before falling 4-0 to 14th-ranked UCLA in Los Angeles.
"This team has been through a lot of adversity, but that adversity has been fertilizer for their growth," Scrivano said. "A big reason they're one of the best teams in the country is because of what they've gone through. They've really had that mindset: what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. That's why this team is so mentally tough."
Baylor is 9-4 against the NCAA Tournament field, including non-conference wins over 10th-seeded Texas A&M, Rice and Arizona State. The Bears were the runners-up in the Big 12 regular season and lost to second-ranked Texas for the fourth time in the Big 12 Championship final.
The Big 12 is well represented in the tournament, with national seeds Texas (#2) and Baylor joined by Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and Iowa State, making its first-ever appearance.
Seeded fourth at the Southland Conference Tournament, A&M-Corpus Christi swept through the first two rounds and beat seventh-seeded Lamar, 4-0, in the final to earn the league's automatic bid.
"We've just got to keep having that attitude of gratitude and really just focus on what a blessing it is to be competing in the NCAA Championship," Scrivano said. "You have to really do something to get to this level and be seeded in the top eight. That's an accomplishment in itself. We're just focusing on the positives of a great year, then staying in the moment and getting ready for the weekend."
WACO, Texas – The No. 8-ranked Baylor women's tennis team received some good news Monday night. Not only are the Bears in the NCAA Tournament as the No. 8 overall seed, but Baylor University will serve as host for the first and second rounds of both the men's and women's tournaments.
The top-seeded Bears (23-4) drew No. 4 seed Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (22-4) in the first round with the expected match time at 5 p.m. on Friday at the Hurd Tennis Center. If Baylor advances, it will play the winner of No. 2 seed Duke (15-6) and No. 3 seed Alabama (12-12) Saturday at 5 p.m. to see who advances to the super regionals in Orlando, Fla., on Sunday, May 16.
Monday's announcement marks the 22nd time in program history that the Baylor women will participate in the NCAA Tournament and the 15th time under head coach Joey Scrivano.
Baylor returns to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2018 with Angelina Shakhraichuk, Kristina Sorokolet and Jessica Hinojosa all with experience at the national event for the Bears. BU last hosted the first and second rounds in 2017.
The Baylor women finished as the runner-up in the Big 12 regular-season standings with an 8-1 mark and advanced to the Big 12 Championship final before losing to top-seeded and No. 2-ranked Texas for the fourth time this season.
Check back on BaylorBears.com for updates on ticket and spectator information for the 2021 NCAA Tennis Tournament in Waco. Follow Baylor women's tennis all season long on social media using the handle @BaylorWTennis.
NCAA TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
(Hurd Tennis Center, Waco, Texas)
First Round:
Friday, May 7:
No. 2 seed Duke (15-6) vs. No. 3 seed Alabama (12-12), 2 p.m.
No. 1 seed Baylor (23-4) vs. No. 4 seed Texas A&M Corpus Christi (22-4), 5 p.m.
Second Round:
Saturday, May 8:
Duke/Alabama winner vs. Baylor/Texas A&M-Corpus Christi winner, 5 p.m.
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