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Shannon Buck Selected to the 2003 NCAA Division I Singles Championships
Freshman went 31-3 overall in 2002-03
May 1, 2003 Air Force freshman Shannon Buck has been selected to play in the 2003 NCAA Division I Men's Tennis Singles Championships. He is only the second Falcon ever to qualify for the NCAA Championships. Jerry Ledzinski, AFA's former assistant coach, played in the tournament as a junior in 1994. The 64-player, single-elimination tournament begins on Thursday, May 22 in Athens, Ga., on the campus of the University of Georgia. The full bracket will be announced later this month. Buck, from San Antonio, Texas, is one of four players selected from the Mountain Region by the region's selection committee. Also representing the region are two seniors, Oliver Maiberger of San Diego State and Markus Berntson of Boise State, and one junior, Divan Coetzee of New Mexico. After being named the Mountain West Conference Co-Player of the Year with Maiberger, Buck won all three matches at the MWC Tournament, including a 6-1, 6-3 triumph over Maiberger, to improve his overall singles record to 31-3. He finished the regular season with a 26-1 mark at No. 1 singles and was a perfect 8-0 against MWC opponents. "Shannon produced the best individual season ever at the Academy," said Air Force head coach Rich Gugat. "Making the NCAA Tournament as a freshman is quite an achievement. It is a testament to not only his natural talent, but his outstanding work ethic." Buck, who tied Ledzinski's school record for most wins at No. 1 singles in one season and posted the second-best winning percentage (.963) for one season by any position player in school history, is currently ranked No. 71 in the country.
The full list of competitors can be found online at www.ncaasports.com.
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