The Northeast Conference has recently announced the seeding for the upcoming men’s and women’s tennis championships, and it is a momentous occasion for the tennis teams at Binghamton University. In their inaugural season in the conference, the Binghamton men’s team has been awarded the No. 1 seed, while the women’s team will begin their journey as the No. 8 seed. The tournament, which will be a three-day, single-elimination event, is scheduled to take place from April 12-14 at the Mercer County Tennis Center in West Windsor, N.J.
The Binghamton men achieved the prestigious No. 1 seed after an impressive 7-1 record against NEC opponents during the regular season, ending with an overall record of 13-9. Under the guidance of Head Coach Nick Zieziula, the team had been projected to perform well in the preseason poll, and they certainly lived up to those expectations. However, their matches in the conference were closely contested, with BU prevailing in five of their seven matches by a score of 4-3.
“It’s going to be an exciting week with a lot of closely fought matches,” Zieziula said. “It’s gratifying to have our efforts recognized with the No. 1 seed, but once the matches begin, the only thing that will matter is if we can maintain our focus on our attitudes and execute our game plans. Two of our most impressive weekends were when we had to compete in three matches in three days on different surfaces, and I expect that experience will prove beneficial this weekend.”
The men’s team will be anticipating the opportunity to face the winner of the first-round match between No. 8 Stonehill and No. 9 Wagner, with their initial quarterfinal match scheduled for Friday afternoon.
On the other hand, the women’s team will kick off their tournament with a first-round match against No. 9 Merrimack at 9 a.m. on Friday. A triumph would propel Coach Libby McGovern’s squad into an afternoon quarterfinal match against top-seeded Sacred Heart.
“We are thrilled to participate in a conference tournament for the first time since 2016,” McGovern said. “The atmosphere, energy, and competitiveness of that environment is something I’m pleased our players will have the opportunity to experience firsthand.”
The victors of the 2024 NEC tournament will secure automatic berths into the NCAA Championships. The reigning champions are FDU on the men’s side and LIU on the women’s side.
In June, Director of Athletics Eugene Marshall, Jr. revealed BU’s decision to join the NEC for tennis and golf. The transition to the new conference has proven to be a significant boost for both the men’s and women’s programs, particularly after their previous conference sponsorships expired in earlier years.
The men’s and women’s tennis teams will compete in the tournament alongside other seeded teams, and the matches are set to be held at the Mercer County Tennis Center. The men’s first-round match will be between #8 Stonehill and #9 Wagner, while the women’s team will face off against Merrimack in their first-round match.
The excitement will continue to build throughout the tournament, culminating in the women’s and men’s championship matches on Sunday, April 14.
It is certain to be an eventful tournament, and tennis enthusiasts will not want to miss any of the thrilling matches that lie ahead.