DENVER — The University of Denver's Men's and Women's Tennis teams are heading to the NCAA Championships with both of their matches set to take place Friday.
On Tuesday, they had their last practices before loading up and heading off in opposite directions.
The men will face Michigan State University at Harvard University.
Heading to Harvard for the NCAA Tournament, starting with a first-round match against Michigan State!#GoPios | #NCAATennis pic.twitter.com/jYJPFwjL1t
— Denver Men's Tennis (@DU_MTennis) April 29, 2024
"They got big, strong guys that play really well. But you know, we're super excited to get the opportunity to face them, especially at a site like Harvard, which will be cool as well," senior Nicolas Herrero said.
The women will face Texas Tech University at UCLA.
"It's gonna be very tough, but we're all super excited to compete against them and hopefully come out on the winning side of it. I know, we've worked hard all year. And we know we're capable of it," fifth year senior Britt Pursell said.
The men are the only undefeated team in the country, sitting at 23-0.
"It’s unprecedented. I mean, the last team to do that in the regular season was 2013, Virginia, and they won the national title," Drew Eberly, the head coach for the men's team. "For us to go undefeated is truly historic and something that, you know, we'll never forget this group. And just excited to be in the history books of college, tennis, at DU."
The women are coming off their tenth straight tournament title, and hold a historic Summit League record.
A decade of dominance in @TheSummitLeague!#GoPios | #SummitWTEN pic.twitter.com/PtTaXdKeWn
— Denver Women's Tennis (@DU_WTennis) April 20, 2024
"The last 10 years since we joined the league, we have not lost a Summit League match," Paul Wardlaw, the head coach for the women's team said. "There’s a pressure that goes along with it. And I think our kids respond well to that."
Herrero reflected on the success of his senior year.
"You want it to be the best you can make it and, you know, it's been exactly that for the past season," he said. "I'm incredibly proud of the team that we've created the culture and what we've done for the community and excited for what's to come this weekend."
Now, both team's full attention is on the championship matches ahead.
"It could be over soon, or we could make it a long way. Who knows," Pursell said. But to go out there and have fun and like, give it our all, because we only have one chance to do it together as a team."
Both teams head into the championships as number two seeds.
