May 2, 2002

52ND RANKED FURMAN LADY PALADIN TENNIS TO FACE LSU IN FIRST ROUND OF NCAA REGIONAL; MEGAN DUNIGAN AND JOHN CHESWORTH EARN BIDS TO SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIPS

GREENVILLE, S.C.-- The 52nd ranked Furman women's tennis team (22-3, 9-0 SoCon) will face the 48th rated LSU Lady Tigers (12-12, 3-8 SEC) on May 11th in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, the NCAA announced today. It will be the first time in Furman history that the Lady Paladins will not have to face a No. 1 seed in the tournament's opening regional round. The Lady Paladins are yet to win a match in the NCAA Tournament.

The 2002 Southern Conference champions have had quite the successful campaign thus far, including key wins against Clemson, N.C. State, New Mexico, and South Florida, as well as the extension of their league match win streak to 44 victories. LSU, meanwhile, finished fourth in the Southeastern Conference's West Division.

The Lady Paladins and Lady Tigers have never met in dual match action.

Another first came with the announcement that Furman's Megan Dunigan, the 51st ranked player in the country, will be participating in the 2002 NCAA Women's Singles Championships held at Stanford University. Dunigan, the league's only four-time Southern Conference Player of the Year and Furman's winningest player in women's tennis history, currently holds a 24-0 record and will be playing on May 20th. She is the first Lady Paladin tennis player to participate in the NCAA Singles Tournament.

Paladin John Chesworth also received a bid to play in the NCAA Singles Championships. Chesworth, ranked 54th in the country, is the seventh Furman men's player to participate in the NCAA Tournament. The current Southern Conference Player of the Year is 17-8 on the season and will play on May 22nd at Texas A&M University.