April 30, 2003

INDIANAPOLIS, IND. - The North Carolina men's tennis team earned an at-large bid to the field of 64 for the 2003 NCAA Division I Men's Tennis Championship as announced Wednesday afternoon by the NCAA Men's Tennis Committee.

For North Carolina, it is the Tar Heels' 11th bid to the NCAA Tournament in the past 12 years and the team's fourth in a row. Since the NCAA changed the format of the championship to dual matches in 1977 Carolina has been invited a total of 13 times.

Carolina has been assigned to the regional being hosted by 11th-seeded Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minn. The Golden Gophers will play in one of the first round matches on May 10, followed by a first-round match between North Carolina and Oklahoma State. The two winners meet in the second round on May 11 with the regional championship at stake.

The winners of the 16 regionals will advance to the NCAA Championships hosted by the University of Georgia in Athens, Ga. beginning on May 17.

Coach Sam Paul's Tar Heels finished the season 11-11 but earned a bid with a tough schedule that included wins over Georgia and Auburn among others.