Baylor’s Hurd Tennis Center at the center of collegiate tennis this year

Baylor and Waco are at the center of the collegiate tennis world this year.

Last fall, the Hurd Tennis Center hosted the NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships. In January, men’s tennis hosted the ITA National Indoor Championship at Hawkins Indoor Tennis Center. Earlier this month, the Hurd was the home for the Big 12 Tennis Championship. And now, Baylor is preparing to host the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Championships (every round from the quarterfinals to the title match).

The run to the championship begins this weekend for both the Baylor men and women.

On the men’s side, head coach Michael Woodson’s 18th-ranked Bears are making their 27th straight NCAA tournament appearance, thanks to a 22-10 overall record (including a 6-2 Big 12 record, tied for runner-up in the league). The Bears will face Nebraska in the first round (Saturday, 10 a.m.) in College Station. The winner will then face the winner of No. 17 Texas A&M and Rice on Sunday (2 p.m.) for the right to advance to the Sweet 16.

No. 22-ranked Baylor women’s tennis is also headed to the NCAA tournament — the 26th postseason bid in program history. Head coach Joey Scrivano’s squad (20-5 overall, 10-3 Big 12) will travel to Austin, where they’ll face Boise State in the first round (Friday, 10 a.m.). A win there would advance the Bears to face the winner of No. 14 Texas and Grand Canyon in the second round (Saturday, 4 p.m.).

Like the opening two rounds, the NCAA tournament’s third round (Sweet 16/Super Regional) will be played at campus sites. All rounds after that will be played at the Hurd Tennis Center; tickets for those matches are on sale now.

Sic ’em, Baylor tennis!