INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The No. 4-ranked (ITA Division II) Flagler College men's tennis team earned the Peach Belt Conference automatic berth to the NCAA Division II Men's Tennis Championship and will host a NCAA Division II preliminary round at the Pollard Tennis Center. The tournament will be held Friday and Saturday (May 9-10) with the winner advancing to the NCAA Division II National Championship, May 20-24, at Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs, Florida.

Flagler, the No. 1 seed in the preliminary round, will take on the No. 8 seed, Belmont Abbey College, on Friday at 11 a.m. The winner will advance to take on the winner of the other match Friday between No. 5 Lincoln Memorial University and No. 4 seed Columbus State University on Saturday at 4 p.m.
 
Flagler (19-2) is making its ninth appearance in the NCAA Division II Tournament, and its fourth in a row. The Saints are 10-5 all-time in preliminary round play. Last year, Flagler advanced all the way to the tournament championship match.

Simon Malis, the Peach Belt Conference Player of the Year, is ranked No. 31 in the country in singles. The Ostrava, Czech Republic native boasts a 23-4 overall record in singles play this year, which includes a 17-2 mark this spring. He is riding a seven-match winning streak and is a perfect 4-0 against nationally ranked opponents. Baptiste Mercier is ranked No. 37 and is 18-4 this season. Both players earned first-team all-conference honors in singles this year. Ilian Borlee earned second-team All-PBC honors and he holds a 23-5 mark this year, which includes and 18-2 record this spring. He has a 12-match winning streak.

Borlee and Malis are ranked No. 16 in doubles and received first-team all-conference honors. They hold a 20-4 overall record and are 11-2 this spring. Filip Kana and Makary Adamek received second-team all-conference honors and hold a 10-5 record this spring.   

Belmont Abbey (22-16), the Conference Carolinas champion, is ranked No. 31 in the country, and is making its fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. The Crusaders are on an eight-match winning streak. Ricard Novell earned first-team all-conference honors and sports a 17-4 record in singles. Peru Bayu holds a 10-3 mark and earned second-team all-league accolades.

Lincoln Memorial is ranked No. 29 and has a 21-5 overall record. Alexandru Giurea was a first-team All-SAC selection who is 15-3 this year with a 9-1 mark at No. 2. Radu Florea earned second-team al-conference honors and is 16-3. The doubles team of Giurea and Hugo Espejo Ruiz were selected to All-SAC first-team honors and they hold a 12-7 record. Florea and Ethan Hirons were third-team all-conference and are 21-4, mainly playing at No. 3.

Columbus State comes in with a No. 19 ranking and an 11-10 overall record but finished in second place in the PBC with a 4-1 record. Samer Al Tori is ranked No. 71 in the country and earned first-team all-conference honors. He has an 11-8 record. Camilo Cano also earned first-team All-PBC accolades and holds a 9-11 record. The Cougars have the third-ranked doubles team in the nation in Andrea Sandrone and Elias Peter. They are 17-2 this season and have won their last six matches in a row.

Preliminary Round schedule

Friday, May 9
11 a.m. - #8 Belmont Abbey at #1 Flagler
3 p.m. - #5 Lincoln Memorial vs. #4 Columbus State

Saturday, May 10
4 p.m. – winner match #1 vs. winner match #2

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