Hokie ClubSTANFORD, Calif. - Virginia Tech junior Luka Somen will be in action on Wednesday during the first day of competition at the NCAA Division I Men’s Tennis Singles Championships at the Taube Tennis Center on the Stanford University campus.
Ranked 59th in the latest ITA rankings, Somen will face Tucker Vorster (Mississippi), ranked No. 52, at 3:30 p.m. (ET), in the first round of the singles draw. Somen was an All-ACC honoree and received an at-large selection to the tournament, joining Yoann Re (2009-10), Albert Larregola (2008) and Arvid Puranen (2006) as recent Hokies to participate in the event. The Tech duo of Nicolas Delgado de Robles and Pedro Graber participated in the 2007 NCAA Doubles Championships.
“I am so proud of the effort that Luka has put in this year,” said Virginia Tech head coach Jim Thompson. “He is extremely dedicated and has represented Virginia Tech in such a great way all year. Luka really deserves this opportunity to compete at the NCAA Championships and I know if he plays the way he is capable, he has an excellent chance at Stanford. It is also exciting to watch him continue to grow and develop and this opportunity is another big step along the way. As a junior, he will have the chance to really leave a lasting mark on our program. I am very happy for Luka and all the Virginia Tech tennis supporters who have followed him all year.”
Somen (Jr., Karlovac, Croatia) is ranked No. 59 in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) poll. A 2011 All-ACC selection and 2009 ACC Freshman of the Year, Somen defeated two top-30 players this season en-route to winning 21 singles matches, including a 6-5 record in ACC contests playing at the No. 1 position.
In order for Somen to become an All-American, he must win two matches to finish as one of the final 16 competitors at the Championship.
For complete coverage of the 2011 NCAA Division I Men’s Tennis Championship including schedule/results, live scoring and photos, visit http://www.gostanford.com/ot/2011-ncaa-tennis-tournamentcentral.html. Fans can also watch live video of the matches through the site.