Well, we did win at 1 and 4, and lost at 2 and 3. Now, with the #5 and 6 matches ongoing, Gonzalez and Albin both lost their first sets, respectively. Albin is down in the second, but Gonzalez is up. We've got to win one of them to go 'dancing'.

Update: Gonzalez did split; Albin still down in the second.

Further update: Albin has scrambled to split also. Gonzalez was up a break in the third, but he's not now. In fact, he may even be down a break. In any event, he's behind 4-3.

Yet another update: Gonzalez did lose, 6-4 in the third. BUT.....Wenceslaus Albin has broken his opponent and is up 3-0.
Hard to tell whether we're trying to snatch victory out of the jaws of defeat, or defeat out of the jaws of victory. A little of both, it appears.

Since I am almost certain the ETSU site will put out their usual pablum, I offer the Furman version, which does give some pretty nice details:

Furman's version of the women's championship match

And it's finally over, 6+ hours after originally scheduled to begin. Wenceslaus Albin is the hero, shutting the door on Stathis Tsiranidis (who he beat 2 and 3 in the regular season) in the third set 6-0. Wow - of all the hard conference titles over the last 11 years, this one ranks up there. Maybe not as tough as 2009 over Stetson, or 2013 over UNF - but just maybe tougher than those.

Truthfully, this team doesn't rank with ETSU's best over the last 11 years, but very gritty and determined.

CONGRATS to the Buccaneers - AGAIN!

This is the kind of chaos that apparently rules in the ASun since our tennis departure, and with it the iron rule of our dominance: #4 seed FGCU defeated #6 seed Lipscomb in their final. For the regular season, FGCU was 10-12, and Lipscomb was 7-14. I think we can safely say that FCGU is *one* team we'll be seeded above.

Edit: You know, if we could have pulled out that (imo, disputed) 4-3 loss to Ga. St. here, or the 4-3 one to UCF, when apparently Herrera got hurt in doubles (although we won that point), and so we had to forfeit that singles court..........we might easily get a #3 regional seed.

'Course if Tim Smith had gone for 3 instead of the 2........yada yada yada......

Doc, been following this thread, thanks for posting. Can you educate those of us who don't know regarding how many seeds there are for this tournament, and what is the best seed we've ever had? Thanks again!

I assumed everyone had been reading all this with bated breath. LOL....

I'll start from the assumption you know how the NCAA hoops tournament works. Tennis is similar, but not the same. There are a bunch of "regionals", which are really mini-regionals.
Here's the bracket from last year, for example:

NCAA 2016 men's tennis bracket

Only 4 teams go to a "regional", and each one of those is seeded 1 thru 4. ETSU has most often gotten a 4 seed, but twice(??) a 3 seed, once being last year, when we gave Michigan a battle. Overriding that.....there are overall seeds, as you can see from the bracket, and teams not seeded 1-16 overall, are placed in the mini-regionals near (somewhat) their site, and against an appropriate counter-seed. You can tell that since neither Michigan or ETSU got an overall seed, they were not in the top 16, and in fact since it was a 3 vs. 4, neither would have been seeded (overall) in the top 32. There are 64 teams overall, like there used to be until recently in hoops. There likely is an overall 1-64 'ranking', but to my knowledge that's not publicized. Maybe the coaches get to know them, don't know.

For the girls.....since last year was one of the rare appearances for ETSU, here's their bracket. Since ETSU, even at 20-2, was considered a weak team (compared to the whole country), they had to go up against overall #3 seed UNC, with the expected result.

NCAA 2016 Women's tennis bracket

The best seed we've (the guys) ever gotten is a 3. Which I think we've done twice. *Maybe* thrice. The ITA (Intercollegiate Tennis Association) currently does the ranking, for both teams and individuals. They only rank the teams thru #50 right now. I think they, or the NCAA, or somebody, used to rank thru 100, but not anymore. For example, I think when we played Vandy in the 2013 tournament, we were 'ranked' 70th. In 2011, we were 'ranked' 55th, were a 3 seed, and almost almost almost upended Notre Dame. We were a strong team that year.

But apparently the NCAA still 'ranks' them at least internally, in order to do the seeding. I'm guessing they have access to ITA's database, which is computerized. Since ETSU isn't ranked in the top 50, I'd say we'll get a 4 seed - BUT....we played both Ga. St. and UCF close, and they're ranked 37th and 31st, respectively. So there's an *outside* chance we'll get a 3, especially since we've won a couple of matches in the past (and played Michigan close last year) - although that won't count for much. And who knows - maybe we'll get some cred for how well our doubles team did last Spring? The rankings *may* be updated once more before the seeding is announced. They should be, and probably are going to be.

When we beat Alabama in the first round in 2010, I *think* we were a 3 seed, but am not positive. We lost the next day to UT, who had 5 ranked guys on that team, including John-Patrick Smith, who was ranked #1 (and has now won something like $700K on tour). When we beat Notre Dame in 2008, I kinda think we were a 4 seed, but am far from sure on that. THEN....as I'm sure you'll all remember because I posted extensively on it at the time.....we lost to Ohio St., and it would have been even closer had it not been raining and had to be moved indoors *on their home courts* during the match.

And btw, I assume you know this, but after the team competition, there are individual competitions, for both singles and doubles, which is where Ribeiro and Biosca excelled last year, as you likely remember. But as a refresher:

Ribeiro's and Biosca's historic run last year

That's probably *more* than you wanted to know, but if you have further questions, ask....

While we're talking ETSU tennis history......

Many of you may not know about Lenny Simpson, even tho I think he's been discussed on this forum in the past. He was an elegant gentleman, and yet a fierce competitor like no other until Yaser, imo. (I guess Pierre Arnold being a possible exception.) He was responsible for some top professionals coming to Johnson City/ETSU more than once for some clinics for the public, which were very well attended. Made quarterfinals of the NCAA, and was OVC champ either 3 or 4 straight years.

Lenny Simpson's tennis career

Simpson launches tennis program back in Wilmington

Not sure how he got to ETSU; I think I *used* to know (some kind of personal connection, I as I vaguely recall). "Elegant" also described his tennis game. One of those guys who could make hard stuff look effortless.

Great explanation, thanks for taking the time to do that.

We *do* get a 3 seed, against South Carolina:

NCAA draw

Gamecocks' version

They really have been a team on the rise the last few years. They actually went 10-4 in the SEC, rather than the 9-3 that story states, if one includes an early-season tournament and the SEC tournament. Some really quality wins, which is not surprising for the 19th-ranked team in the country.

Common-opponent-wise.....we lost to 'bama 4-2, they beat them 4-3. They perhaps overwhelmed The Citadel slightly easier than we did. They beat that good Ga. State team 7-0, we (disputably) lost that match 4-3. (Hate to say it, but that is a tad scary.) And that's about it for comparisons straight-up. Going head-to-head against other top 50 teams, the Gamecocks have played them all very close, winning some and losing some. So 19th seems about right.

They have singles guys ranked 52 (Gabriel Friedrich - recently playing at #2, however) and 67 (Harrison O'Keefe - playing #1 lately and who gave the #3-ranked player in the country, Nuno Borges [Miss St.], two good matches). We have Biosca now down to #65. So hopefully the #1 match will at least be competitive. And if Herrera plays up to his potential, when he's on, maybe even #2 will be competitive, although in the past he's struggled against ranked players.

I'd say this is a decent draw. Surely we're thankful for a 3 seed, but maybe it's a tough 3 seed, but since we might have been a borderline 4 seed, that's appropriate. I guess one could say this match is winnable, but I don't feel as confident/hopeful as I did when we beat 'bama and Notre Dame in those past years (as I knew then we were seriously underrated). "On any given day" isn't *quite* as true in college tennis as in college hoops, but it's still true.

Alright.....in addition to the men's team getting into the May dance, we had one of each sex 'qualify' into the singles draw - Biosca, and Markesini:

Biosca and Markesini in the national singles draw

Biosca was pretty obvious. Would have been a shame for him to not be selected. However, I must say Markesini is a surprise. The most recent rankings, which came out Thursday, did put her at #118, up from #119 the week before, which was the first week she had been ranked lately (she was as high as #112 earlier). No other player from the SoCon was ranked, so that makes her the "automatic qualifier" for the SoCon.

That's correct: no Ansley Speaks - who was 22-3 on the year and undefeated in conference. The same Ansley Speaks who *drubbed* Markesini 6-0, 6-1 in the regular season match, then gave Marina Espana her first loss ever for ETSU in the conference tournament in a tough 3-set match. The same Ansley Speaks who was POY in the conference this year - *and* last year - *and* in 2014 (when she was *also* freshman of the year). And no, I can't explain it. She was ranked as recently as April 11, and has not lost a match since (which includes the conference tournament win over Espana). I'm completely mystified. Utterly baffled, to be honest.

On top of that, as readers of my missives know, Markesini had been playing #2 over the last few weeks of the season, due to Espana's stellar play. All I can guess is that it's just one of those computer statistical flukes. Supposedly the results are all computerized, and her ranking is what it is. No disrespect to Ioanna at all; I just don't get it.
Hopefully ace investigative reporter Kenny Hawkins is on the case.

In any event, Congrats to both!!

[oh - and btw....in the new rankings, South Carolina dropped from 19 to 20.]

Tomorrow -- 10 AM.

Extensive preview:

Preview from the USC prespective

After the first interview (with the coach) finishes, it continues with interviews with 2 of the players. They sound like they're ready and business-like.

ETSU version:

ETSU's preview, with past recent NCAAs history

Just a reminder as to how close we came last year:

Wolverines barely edge past Bucs

And note those last 2 singles matches to finish both went 3 close sets. If we could have just pulled out one of those, we'd have moved on.

Not looking good in doubles. Already down 2 breaks at #3 doubles and 1 break at #1. Sigh.....

EDIT:
We got fairly well routed in the doubles. USC wins, in order, 6-2, 2-3, 6-1. I fear the mountain will be too high.

Now we've lost the first sets in singles at #s 3 and 4. Yancy Dennis, playing #4 for the Gamecocks, looked scary just warming up in the background in that interview with their coach. He downed Miguel Este 6-1. Holding our own - or nearly so - in the others....

UPDATE/EDIT:
Gonzalez won his first set at #5, 6-2. Albin lost his at #6, 6-4 (after being down at least 4-0). Biosca is up a break at #1, and Herrera and his opponent are 5-5 at #2.

David Biosca won his first set, 6-3. However, Nunez, Este, and Gonzalez are all down a break in their second sets. Herrera now 6-6 in his first - which likely won't matter.
Dire situation possibly developing rather quickly....

UPDATE/EDIT:
Herrera sadly lost his tiebreaker that seemed to go on forever. And Biosca is up a break in the second. Andrew Schafer (the player on the right in that second preview video) is about to finish off Nunez. And Gonzalez is about to lose his second set (which would mean a split there).
The mountain keeps getting higher....

Schafer gets his 100th win for USC (that's pretty impressive) by finishing off Diego Nunez to make the score 2-0.

UPDATE/EDIT:
Albin came back to split at #6. Biosca is up a break in his second. Herrera down a break in his second. Dennis about to finish off Este, it appears.

FURTHER UPDATE:
Yancy Dennis did finish his job, and it's now 3-0. We've now got to win all 4 of the remaining matches still being contested. Not impossible, but a tall, tall order. Especially with Herrera down 4-2 in his second, after losing that tough tiebreaker in the first. If he folds, it'll be over quickly.

The end appeareth nigh.....
Harrison O'Keefe serving for the individual and team win against Robert Herrera...

And it is done.....

Biosca was up 5-4 (which would have given ETSU at least 1 point), but David Gonzalez was wiped out quickly 6-0, 6-1 at #5 by Alex Fennell, after easily winning the first one 6-2. Must be some 'story' behind that, but we may never know....

Congrats to the team on a good season. Now David Biosca will be in the singles draw, and Ioanna Markesini as well.

As I mentioned earlier, this just wasn't one of ETSU's strongest teams. A good team, but just not rock solid top to bottom. I had hoped we'd make this closer (and it *was* closer than 4-0 indicates), but USC is really a strong program on the rise. Although we got a 3 seed, it was a tough 3 seed.

So what happens with the coaching situation? Unless I have missed it there has been no announcement regarding the permanent coach, right? Do they keep the interim coach? Do they use their success to try to recruit a coach that may make us competitive nationally? Or do they use this as an opportunity to cut the salary for the tennis position?