SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Champions Club in Chattanooga, Tenn., will serve as host of the 2014 Southern Conference Men’s and Women’s’ Tennis Championships this week (April 16-19).  The four-day event features all 20 men’s and women’s teams from the Southern Conference.

Elon earned the top seed in the men’s draw with a perfect 9-0 record in SoCon play.  Furman is the No. 2 seed as the Paladins finished conference play with an 8-1 mark.  Despite having a match with Samford postponed due to snow and ice in March, UNCG earned the No. 3 seed under the league’s tiebreaker formula.  The Spartans will face No. 6 Georgia Southern on Thursday (April 17).  Appalachian State (No. 4) and Samford (No. 5) will also square off Thursday morning as the top six seeds earned a bye into Thursday’s quarterfinal matches.

Wednesday’s first round will begin at 11:00 a.m. when seventh-seeded Wofford takes on The Citadel with the winner advancing to face Furman on Thursday.  The second opening-round match pits No. 8 Davidson against No. 9 Chattanooga.  The winner of the Davidson-UTC match will advance to take on the top-seeded Phoenix Thursday morning.  The men’s championship match is set for 10:00 a.m. on Saturday (April 19). 

Furman’s women’s team earned the top seed with an unblemished 9-0 mark in conference play.  Samford earned the No. 2 seed with a dramatic 4-3 victory over No. 3 Chattanooga on Saturday to close the regular season.  Elon posted a 6-3 mark in SoCon play to earn the No. 4 seed where the Phoenix will take on No. 5 UNCG in Thursday’s quarterfinals.  Georgia Southern earned the No. 6 seed and will face UTC.

The women’s tournament begins with two first-round matches on Wednesday at 3:00 p.m.  No. 7 Appalachian State faces No. 10 Western Carolina, while No. 8 Davidson takes on No. 9 Wofford.  The Appalachian State-Western Carolina winner will advance to take on No. 2 Samford.  Top-seeded Furman will face either Davidson or Wofford.

The women’s championship match is set for Saturday at 2:00 p.m.