CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – No. 11 Harvard Men's Tennis (19-5, 7-0 Ivy) will begin their quest for a deep tournament run, Friday, May 5 from Beren Tennis Center at 2:00 p.m. against Siena (13-10, 4-2 MAAC). Prior to the Crimson match, Arizona State and Illinios will face off at 11:00 a.m. with the winner of either Friday match facing off on Saturday, May 6 at 2:00 p.m. for a chance to punch their ticket to the Sweet Sixteen.
What to Know
- As the Crimson make their 28th postseason appearance in team history, they will host the opening rounds of the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season.
- Harvard earned a bid to the 2023 NCAA Tournament following a 19-5 regular season which included going undefeated in conference for the second year in a row.
- In their last time out, the Crimson defeated No. 50 Penn, 4-2, and No. 52 Princeton, 6-1, to secure back-to-back Ivy Championships.
- In their last four matches, Harvard defeated four ranked squads in No. 36 Cornell, No. 11 Columbia, No. 50 Penn, and No. 52 Princeton.
- Of the Crimson 19 wins, 11 came against opponents ranked in the ITA Division I Collegiate Men's Tennis Team Rankings Top-75. The double-digit victories are the most against ranked opponents in a singular season since 1999.
- The Crimson have remained consistent all season inside the ITA top-15. With their No. 12 ranking in the most recent poll, Harvard has now been ranked inside the top-15 for 13 straight weeks.
- Harvard was also represented in the most recent singles and doubles ranking updates. Henry von der Schulenburg and Harris Walker sit at No. 35 and 37, respectively, while Walker and doubles partner, Daniel Milavsky, remain at No. 62 in the doubles poll.
- In singles play, the Crimson are led by co-captains Walker and von der Schulenburg. The duo which makes up the top-two spots on the ladder, recently earned bids to the 2023 NCAA Singles draw for the second straight season.
- Contributing heavily to their success, the Crimson have also been dominant in doubles play this season. Leading the team in wins with a record of 15-4, Ronan Jachuck and Steven Sun have been consistent at the No. 2 position. Teaming up midway through the dual season, Milavsky and Walker have become the consistent No. 1 for the Crimson, accumulating a record of 9-3 this spring.
For the Foes
- Siena enters the NCAA Tournament with a record of 13-10. The Saints are currently on a four-game winning streak including a pair of upset wins in the MAAC Championships which ultimately punched their ticket into the tournament.
- Siena entered the MAAC Championships as the three-seed and had a come from behind win against No. 2 Quinnipiac and a dominant performance over No. 1 Fairfield to win its first MAAC Men's Tennis Championship in program history.
- The Saints are led by No. 1 singles player Dante Russo who has racked up 24 singles wins, and 17 doubles wins throughout the 2022-23 season.
- The meeting between the Crimson and the Saints will be the first for the two squads in history.
Next Up
With a win on Friday the Crimson will move on to the Round of 32 and face either Illinois or Arizona State on Saturday, May 6 at 2:00 p.m. for a spot in the 2023 Sweet Sixtee
