Baylor men’s tennis rolls into NCAA tournament as Big 12 champ, No. 3 overall seed

Baylor men’s tennis finished last season as national runners-up. They’re aiming to finish one win better this season.

Head coach Michael Woodson’s Bears are the No. 3 overall seed in this year’s NCAA tournament, and will host first- and second-round matches this weekend at the Hurd Tennis Center.

Baylor earned that right by finishing the regular season with a 26-3 record, capped off with a win over No. 1-ranked TCU in the Big 12 tournament that won the Bears their 25th Big 12 title (14 regular season, 11 tournament) in program history. This year’s squad is led by Big 12 Player of the Year Adrian Boitan and All-Big 12 first-team selection Matias Soto.

The Bears will host WAC champion Abilene Christian in the first round (Friday, 6 p.m.). The winner of that match will face the winner of Tulsa/Texas A&M in the second round (Saturday, 6 p.m.). (Admission is free for all three Waco matches.) If Baylor wins both Friday and Saturday, they would then host the Super Regional round the following weekend.

Baylor women’s tennis is also headed to the NCAA tournament — the 23rd postseason bid in program history. Head coach Joey Scrivano’s squad will travel down Highway 6 to the College Station Regional, where they’ll face Washington in the first round (Friday, 10 a.m.). A win there would advance the Bears to face the winner of Texas A&M (the No. 7 national seed) and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in the second round (Saturday, 1 p.m.).

Once the NCAA tournament is complete, several Baylor players will keep playing in the NCAA singles and doubles tournaments. On the men’s side, Boitan (the No. 5 overall seed), Soto and Tadeas Paroulek will represent Baylor in singles. Two teams will represent the Baylor men in doubles: Finn Bass and Sven Lah (the No. 3 overall seed), and Juan Pablo Grassi Mazzuchi and Soto. On the women’s side, it will be the team of Alicia Herrero and Mel Krywoj representing Baylor in doubles.

Sic ’em, Baylor tennis!