The No. 22 Ohio State men’s tennis team (20-6) was selected for its fourth-consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament Wednesday.
The jaunt will be the team’s fourth trip in the program’s history, all coming under the leadership of coach Ty Tucker.
OSU drew the Arkansas Razorbacks (9-14), whom they have never played, in the first round and will meet them in Lexington, Ky. on May 9.
Big Ten Athlete of the Year and OSU co-captain Vince Ng and co-captain Phil Metz are the only two players to go to the dance all four years.
“Our goal is to make it the Round of 16,” Metz said. “I think we’re totally capable of making it.”
While the Razorbacks’ record may not indicate it, the Buckeye coaching staff knows it will have a tough test in the first round.
“If we can devise the right strategy against their lineup, I think we can do well,” assistant coach Marc Wurtzman said.
If the Buckeyes advance to the Round of 16, they will move on to the University of Georgia, where the NCAA championships will be held.
However, OSU’s ambition doesn’t stop at the Sweet Sixteen.
“Once we get to Georgia, anything can happen,” Ng said. “It would be wonderful way to go out as a senior.”
The Buckeyes are on the rebound from a devastating semifinal loss to Minnesota in the Big Ten Tournament. This was the second year in a row that Minnesota knocked OSU out of the tournament.
“It was a real competitive match,” Metz said. “Things just didn’t fall our way.”
Ng is positive that the loss won’t carry over into the NCAA tournament.
“Our players have shown a lot of resilience to bounce back from tough losses,” he said.
The Buckeyes have gotten the reputation of not going down easy over the course of the season, Ng said.
“Ohio State is a tough out, no matter who we play,” he said.
If the Buckeyes beat Arkansas, they will face the winner of the Kentucky-Hampton match. The Wildcats are 18-11 on the year, while the Pirates are 14-8.
