mUniversity of Minnesota sophomore men's tennis player Nick Edlefsen (Minneapolis, Minn./ Eden Prairie HS) won one singles match today to advance to the third round of pre- qualifying at the 2004 Icy Hot/ITA Men's All-American Championships in Chattanooga, Tenn. Sophomore teammate D.J. Geatz (Minneapolis, Minn./South HS) lost his opening match in pre-qualifying singles play.
Edlefsen, a transfer from UC Santa Barbara, defeated Tennessee's Rawl Martin, 6-4, 2-6, 6-2, to move on to the third round. He will face Marek Valicka of Oklahoma in the round of 64. Geatz, meanwhile, fell to Max Jones of New Mexico, 6-1, 6-3 in the round of 128. Edlefsen and Geatz will team in doubles play, beginning tommorrow
In pre-qualifying of the ITA All-American Championships, players must winfour or fivesingles matches to reach the Oct. 4-6 Qualifying tournament. In Qualifying, players must win three more matchesto reach the Oct. 7-10 Main Draw. All told, eight singles players will advance to the Qualifying tournament.
Minnesota senior captain Avery Ticer has already qualified for the main singles draw of the ITA All-American Championships by virtue of his win at the ITA National Summer Championships.
The Icy Hot/ITA All-American Championship is not only the largest single tournament of this season in collegiate tennis, with over 300 competitors, but also the first of three national championship events at the Division I level during the 2004-05 collegiate tennis season. The tournament offers the first national singles and doubles titles of the season, and is followed by the ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships in November and the season-ending NCAA Championships in May
2004 Icy Hot/ITA All American Championships Pre-Qualifying Singles Results
Round of 128 - Nick Edlefsen (MN) def. Rawl Martin (Tenn.), 6-4, 2-6, 6-2
Round of 128 - Max Jones (New Mexico) def. D.J. Geatz (MN), 6-1, 6-3
Saturday's singles match
Round of 64 - Edlefsen (MN) vs. Marek Valicka (Okla.), 9 a.m.
Saturday's doubles schedule
Round of 64 - Edlefsen/Geatz (MN) vs. Joel Allen/Antonio Sierra (UCF), 11:30 p.m.
