9/25/2014 11:53:00 AM | Men's Tennis
| 2014 Saint Francis Health System ITA Men's All-American Championships | ||
| Date | Sept. 27 - Oct. 6 | |
| Venue | The University of Tulsa | |
| Location | Tulsa, Okla. | |
| Tournament Hub | Saint Francis Health System ITA All-American Championships | |
| Social | @GoColumbiaLions | @ColumbiaMTennis | |
| Hashtags | #TurnItBlue | |
NEW YORK – Four members of the Columbia men's tennis team are set to take their talents to Tulsa, Oklahoma, for the 2014 Saint Francis Health System ITA Men's All-American Championships Sept. 27-Oct. 6. Senior Winston Lin will represent the Lions in the singles main draw while classmates Ashok Narayana and Max Schnur along with junior Dragos Ignat will compete for a spot in the main bracket through the qualifying round. Narayana and Schnur will also take the court in the doubles main draw.
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#RivieraITA
For updated draws, results and an insider's look into the championships, fans are encouraged to use the championships' official hashtag #RivieraITA to see content from participating schools, coaches, student-athletes and the ITA.
Scene Setter
For the eighth straight year, the University of Tulsa will be the site of the Saint Francis Health System ITA Men's All-American Championships. The tournament gets underway with prequalifying matches starting on Saturday, Sept. 27, while the main draw is slated to begin on Thursday, Oct. 2.
Pre-Qualifying
Pre-qualifying features a single draw of 64 and a doubles draw of 32. Each player or doubles pair must win three rounds in order to advance to the qualifying draw; a total of eight singles payers and four doubles teams move on to qualifying from pre-qualifying play.
Qualifying
Identical to pre-qualifying, the qualifying rounds will feature a singles draw of 64 and a doubles draw of 32. A singles player or doubles tandem must win three consecutive matches to stay alive and move into the main draw. Eight spots in the singles main draw are reserved for qualifiers, while the doubles main draw will feature four teams from qualifying action.
What's at Stake
Players are competing for automatic entry into the USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships Nov. 6-9 in Flushing Meadows, New York. Singles semifinalists, doubles finalist and consolation champions will receive a berth.
To be the Best, You Have to Beat the Best
The best of the ITA is among this year's championships field. In singles, eight of the top-10 ranked singles players will take the court in the main draw including the Lions senior Winston Lin. On the doubles court, the top-six ranked doubles teams, including Columbia's own Ashok Narayana and Max Schnur, will compete.
Rank and File
Columbia received national recognition by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) in the preseason rankings as four Lions were recognized. Winston Lin begins his senior campaign ranked No. 8 in the nation in singles while junior Mike Vermeer and senior Ashok Narayana land No. 107 and No. 108, respectively. Columbia also had a pair on the doubles list as Narayana and senior Max Schnur come in at No. 6.
More Reading: Lin Headlines Men's Tennis ITA Preseason Rankings, All-American Championships Selection
All-Stars
Columbia men's tennis duo Ashok Narayana and Max Schnur were among a collection of the best collegiate tennis players from the 2013-14 season as the pair was named to the Intercollegiate Tennis Association 2014 ITA All-Star Team. Narayana and Schur not only helped the Lions to a history book season with the deepest run in program history to the Sweet Sixteen and their 11th Ancient Eight crown, but won the USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championship, the first major title in Columbia history.
More Reading: Narayana, Schnur Garner ITA All-Star Team Honors
Hall of Famer: Columbia men's tennis will see its former standout and current associate head coach Howard Endelman '87CC and its 1987 squad inducted into the Columbia University Athletics Hall of Fame this October.
More Reading: Hall of Fame Series: Howard Endelman '87CC and the 1987 Men's Tennis Team
Up Next
Following the championships, the Lions will make the short trip to Flushing Meadows, New York for the ITA Northeast Regional Championships Oct. 16-21.
