Virginia nabs bids to NCAAs

Last spring, when the Virginia men’s and women’s tennis teams gathered to watch the NCAA tournament selection show on ESPN, there was a touch of awkwardness in the air.

While the men, as expected, made the tournament, the women did not.

On Tuesday evening at the Boar’s Head Sports Club, the atmosphere was much different.

The No. 1-ranked men earned the top seed in their draw and will host Navy next Friday. The women, ranked 27th, earned an at-large bid and will play VCU in Durham, N.C., either next Friday or Saturday.

“We’re honored to be the No. 1 seed,” said Virginia coach Brian Boland, whose team finished 29-0 after winning the ACC championship. “It’s something that is extremely well-deserved. The guys have worked hard all year and been consistent, and I feel like we can improve even more in the next 10 days.”

If UVa can get past the Midshipmen, it would take on the North Carolina-South Carolina winner next Saturday.

After last season’s heartbreaking loss to Georgia in the NCAA semifinals, Virginia senior co-captain Dom Inglot can’t wait to get going.

“It really didn’t matter who we have to play,” said Inglot, the team’s No. 1 singles player. “I feel everybody is really confident whoever the opposition is.”

Meanwhile, the women’s team (13-9) is glad to have finally put last year’s NCAA snubbing in its rearview.

“I think we’re all tired of talking about last year,” said Virginia women’s coach Mark Guilbeau. “That was an anomaly and shouldn’t be the norm here.

“But give the kids credit. They knew last year wasn’t where we wanted to be and we had to step up.”

Senior Amanda Rales and her teammates broke into wide smiles when they saw “Virginia” pop onto the television screen.

“We pretty much knew that we would be in,” Rales said, “but it’s definitely nice to see that draw.”

Virginia will play the Duke-Richmond winner on either Saturday or Sunday.

“It was a team goal to make it to the Sweet 16,” Rales said. “That’s something I really want to do in my last year. We’ll have to go through VCU and probably Duke to get there. That will be tough, but I want to give it everything I have to make that happen.”

Two years ago, Virginia defeated the Rams in the first round of the tournament before losing to Clemson.

The men will likely have an easier go of things since they get to play their first two matches in the friendly confines of the Snyder Tennis Center.

“It will be a strong field here in Charlottesville,” Boland said. “Hopefully our great fans will come out like they always have and continue to support us and give us that home-court advantage.

“We’re excited to play and will do everything we can to be prepared.”