INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. --- The Tusculum University women's tennis team has earned the sixth seed in the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional and will play Columbus State University in the opening round on Monday, May 1 at the University of North Georgia in Dahlonega, Georgia.
The Pioneers (17-6) earned an at-large bid after falling to Wingate in the South Atlantic Conference Championship tournament finals on Saturday. Tusculum is appearing in the NCAA Division II Tournament for the 12th time and for the first time since 2019. The Pioneers are 2-11 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, picking up wins over Wingate in 2003 and Queens in 2018.
The Pioneers, who enter the week ranked 18th in the ITA Division II National Team Rankings, had won seven in a row before Saturday's loss to Wingate, with five of the victories coming against nationally-ranked opponents. Tusculum is 6-3 in matches against ranked opponents this season.
The Cougars (13-6) lost 4-0 to eventual champion Flagler in the Peach Belt Conference tournament semifinals on Saturday. Columbus State, ranked 30th in the latest ITA Division II National Team Rankings, advanced to the NCAA Division II quarterfinals last season before being eliminated by Indianapolis.
Tusculum and Columbus State have played once in the NCAA Tournament, with the Cougars earning a 5-0 victory over the Pioneers in the second round of the 2018 tournament.
The winner of Monday's match between the Cougars and Pioneers will face the winner of the other first-round match between seventh-seeded Mount Olive (14-11) and second-seeded North Georgia (14-6) on Tuesday, May 2. The winner of Tuesday's match will be one of 16 teams to move on to the NCAA Division II Championship at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Florida from May 11-16.
The other half of the Southeast Region will be hosted by Flagler, who will host the winner of the opening-round match between fourth-seeded Georgia College and fifth-seeded Wingate. The winner of the Flagler site will also move on to the NCAA Division II Championship round of 16.
NCAA Division II Women's Tennis Southeast Regional #2
at Dahlonega, Ga.
First Round - Monday, May 1
No. 7 Mount Olive (14-11) vs. No. 2 North Georgia (14-6)
No. 6 Tusculum (17-6) vs. No. 3 Columbus State (13-6)
Second Round - Tuesday, May 2
Mount Olive/North Georgia winner vs. Tusculum/Columbus State winner
