Hokie ClubATHENS, Ga. – Virginia Tech senior Luka Somen will open the 2012 NCAA Men’s Tennis Singles Championship on Wednesday, May 23 at 2 p.m. against Florida’s Tripper Carleton in Athens, Ga. at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex.
Somen enters the championship ranked 47th in the latest ITA singles standings while Carleton is 48th. The Hokies’ No.1 singles player is 15-6 this season in duals and 29-10 overall, including a 10-8 record against ranked opponents. He earned his third consecutive appearance on the All-ACC team and has been ranked as high as 25th this season. He was recently named the ITA Senior Player of the Year in the Atlantic Region. This year marks his second straight at-large bid to the national field.
Carleton was 15-6 in duals this season, including a 9-2 record in the No. 3 singles for the 12th-ranked Gators. He has been ranked as high as 47th this season and holds five wins against ranked opponents. This was the junior's first season with the Gators, having spent his freshman and sophomore years at Wake Forest.
Somen joins former Hokies Yoann Re (2010, 2011), Andreas Laulund (2003, 2004), Aaron Marchetti (1998, 1999) and Oliver Mayo (1996-, 1997) as the only two time qualifiers in Virginia Tech program history.
Tournament information including tickets, live streaming, visitor information and more can be found by visiting the tournament page here.