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The Virginia men’s tennis team received the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive year when the field of 64 was announced on Tuesday. The Cavaliers will host a regional May 8-9 at the Snyder Tennis Center. Virginia will meet Navy in the first round with South Carolina and North Carolina also a part of the Charlottesville regional. Virginiasports.com caught up with head coach Brian Boland following the selection show to preview the tournament.
Question: Your team is the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season. What does that accomplishment say about this program?
Boland: To do that, especially after graduating three of the best seniors in college tennis last year, and come back and be in the exact same position as that team is a tribute to all the hard work and dedication that so many people have put into this program. It always starts and ends with the players. They have put the time in and developed and they have, collectively and individually, worked extremely hard on being the best tennis players they can be and going about their business the right way. I have just been fortunate to have the opportunity to coach them. We have a great deal of momentum right now as a program and that is something that is well deserved.
Question: Virginia is the only team in the country to be a top eight seed in each of the past six NCAA Tournaments. What does that feat say about the consistency of your program?
Boland: I think consistency is so important. It is something that I personally take a great deal of pride in and I know the players do as well. It is really hard in college tennis with the depth that is out there to be able to play at such a high level year-in and year-out as we have. It is a tremendous honor. I think our program is in a very strong position and I feel very good about where we are.
Question: You open the tournament at home for the sixth consecutive year. How important is it to be able to play the first two rounds at home, where you have had so much success in recent years, both in the regular season and postseason?
Boland: It is something that is a huge advantage for us. Whether it has been in the regular season or the postseason, in the eight years I have been here I feel like we have had tremendous crowds and support at home. We have the best fans in the country. We lead the nation in attendance. It will make a big difference for us as we begin to compete in the tournament in a week-and-a-half. We are in a great tennis town and our fans appreciate the time and effort that our team has put into this program. Even at the ACC Tournament in Cary, N.C., it was amazing to see what a great following we had that came down and supported us. I know that our regional in Charlottesville will once again be an incredible atmosphere.
Question: You open the NCAA Tournament against Navy. You have played the Patriot League Champion before (American in 2004, Army in 2006) in the tournament. What do you expect from the matchup?
Boland: I am not familiar yet with Navy. Obviously we congratulate them on winning the Patriot League. To win your conference is always a tremendous honor. When we have played Patriot League teams in the past they have played with a great deal of discipline and they play hard. If you want to be successful in this tournament, you have to focus on the match that is up next, nothing later on. We are not familiar with them now, but you can be sure that by May 8 we will be. We have a lot of respect for Navy, as we do for the other two teams in our regional. Our fans appreciate great college tennis and should be excited about this regional. South Carolina has had a great year in the SEC. They know what it is like to play day-in and day-out against the best teams in the country. The same goes for North Carolina, who over the last several years have had outstanding program. They have been in the top 10 nationally and they are going to pose a challenge to anyone they play. We have a lot of respect for all the teams that are coming to Charlottesville and we will need to be ready to play our best tennis.
Question: The last two years the team has made the NCAA semifinals. That followed a pair of NCAA quarterfinal appearances. How hungry is this team to take the next step in this tournament?
Boland: I think it is that hunger that allowed us to get back to the position we are in right now, as the No. 1 seed. I don’t think many people gave us a chance to come back the year after going 32-1 and losing three great players and go undefeated in the regular season again. I don’t think too many people expected that to happen except the guys on this team. The players on the team knew they could have this type of season. I don’t think it is great surprise to be in this position.
Question: What did the team learn from being the No. 1 seed last year about playing as the favorite in the NCAA Tournament?
Boland: It is something that we embrace. We have always been one of the top eight seeds in the tournament in recent years, so it is not new to us. We look at it as an opportunity for us. We have high expectations for ourselves. All we can do is compete, leave it all on the court and do everything can do to prepare for the tournament. It is when preparation meets opportunity that great things happen. I know this team is going to be ready to play next weekend. The leadership on this team and the experiences they have had over the last few years help down the stretch. We have players like Sanam Singh and Michael Shabaz who are sophomores and have lost just one dual match in their career. Even the veterans like Dom Inglot, Houston Barrick and Lee Singer have only lost five matches in their three years. They know what it takes to succeed. They have been there and done it. I know they are excited for another great opportunity and they have put themselves in the best possible position.