Men’s tennis earns NCAA Tourney Bid

Cesar+Bourgois+and+assistant+coach+Matthew+Gordon+run+through+a+drill+during+warm-ups+before+the+Kentucky+vs.+Notre+Dame+mens+tennis+match+on+Saturday%2C+January+19%2C+2019+in+Lexington%2C+Kentucky.+Photo+by+Natalie+Parks+%7C+Staff

Cesar Bourgois and assistant coach Matthew Gordon run through a drill during warm-ups before the Kentucky vs. Notre Dame men’s tennis match on Saturday, January 19, 2019 in Lexington, Kentucky. Photo by Natalie Parks | Staff

For the 29th time in program history, the UK men’s tennis team is set to compete in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, in the NCAA Tournament, taking on Atlantic 10 Conference champion VCU.

The Wildcats head into postseason play with a 15-14 (5-7 Southeastern Conference) record, earning. them an at-large bid. Virginia Commonwealth University enters the tournament with a 15-9 overall record and a 2-0 mark in conference play.

“We are excited to be back in the NCAA Tournament,” Head coach Cedric Kauffmann said in a press release. “The guys worked really hard to get here. We are really getting closer as a group and excited to head to Winston-Salem.”

“Our focus right now is a very good VCU team coached by (Rossi),” Kauffmann said. “He has done a great job and will have his team ready for us. We are ready to get going.”

 VCU’s head coach, UK tennis hall-of-famer Anthony Rossi, spent three years on the Kentucky coaching staff after his time as a player. 

The Cats are set to face the Rams on Friday at 1 p.m. ET.