Minnesota senior Tom Chicoine has received one of four automatic bids to compete in the Region IV NCAA Singles Tennis Championships May 26-30 in Athens, Ga.
This is the second consecutive year Chicoine has received an automatic bid for the singles championships.
“Last year was a surprise,” Chicoine said. “This year I kind of expected myself to. Personally, if I didn’t make it, I probably would have felt that I didn’t live up to expectations of myself or Coach (David Geatz).”
Chicoine has a 32-15 record this season and is ranked 27th in the nation. He plays No. 1 singles for the 38th-ranked Gophers.
Chicoine will be joined by Notre Dame’s Ryan Sachire, Illinois’ Oliver Freelove and Mark Loughrin of Wisconsin.
The Gophers will play 24th-ranked Washington on Saturday, May 15 in Athens in the first round of the NCAA team championships.
“I’ll be with the team this weekend in Athens,” he said. “So that will be an excellent chance for me to get used to the surroundings: heat, humidity and how the courts are.
“I think I have a good chance to win this year.”
— Mark Heller