April 29, 2008

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The 58th-ranked UC Santa Barbara men's tennis team, winners of the Big West Conference championship last weekend, will open the 2008 NCAA Tournament against 22nd-ranked Stanford on Saturday, May 10 in a 2:00 p.m. match at Pepperdine. The Waves, the No. 1 seed at the site, will host Hawai'i at 10:00 a.m.

"We look forward to the opportunity to play one of the perennial powers of college tennis," said UCSB head coach Marty Davis. "Stanford will be a very tough match-up, but we are excited to play."

On Sunday, April 27, the Gauchos won their third straight Big West Conference title with a 4-0 win over Pacific. It was their fifth league title in the last seven seasons, and their sixth overall. They will be making their eighth appearance as a team in the NCAA Tournament. Previously, UCSB advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 1996, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2006, and 2007. Santa Barbara will enter the postseason with an overall record of 15-9.

The Cardinal will enter the NCAA Tournament with a 12-8 overall record. Stanford has won 17 NCAA Championships, more than any other program.

The Gauchos and Cardinal have played seven times over the years with Stanford holding a 6-1 all-time advantage.