INDIANA, Pa. – The 10th-seeded IUP women's tennis team squares off against 7th-seeded Azusa Pacific in the first round of the 2022 NCAA Division II Women's Tennis Championship. The Championship is hosted at Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs, Florida. IUP's first round match is scheduled for Tuesday, May 17 at 4 p.m.

The Crimson Hawks enter with an 18-7 overall record and have won 13 straight matches. Azusa Pacific is 19-6 overall and enters with 11 straight victories. 
 
ITA Rankings
National Singles: Karolin Kirchtag (No. 51)
Atlantic Region Singles: Karolin Kirchtag (No. 1), Natasha Munday (No. 3), Katy Graydon (No. 6), Joanna Stralka (No. 11), Idoia Huerta (No. 16), Lydia Vlachou (No. 17)
Atlantic Region Doubles: Karolin Kirchtag / Katy Graydon (No. 1), Natasha Munday / Joanna Stralka (No. 2), Idoia Huerta / Lydia Vlachou (No. 4)

The IUP lineup
Singles (Flight, Name, Ovr .Rec./Flight Rec.)
1. Karolin Kirchtag 31-5/13-2
2. Joanna Stralka, 16-10/11-2
3. Natasha Munday, 21-6/14-3
4. Katy Graydon 19-11/13-8
5. Lydia Vlachou, 18-6/15-3
6. Laura Dunarova, 18-8/13-4

Doubles (Flight, Pairing, Ovr. Rec./Flight Rec.)
1. Munday/Stralka, 19-13/9-9
2. Kirchtag/Graydon, 24-8/13-4
3. Dunarova/Vlachou, 13-8/13-8

IUP in the NCAAs
>> IUP is making the program's 14th all-time NCAA tournament appearance, including 11 under head coach Larry Peterson.
>> The Crimson Hawks won the program's fourth unofficial regional title with a 4-0 win over Slippery Rock. The four titles have all come since 2017.
>> This is IUP's ninth time among the NCAA's final 16 teams. The Hawks made eight straight trips to the Round of 16 from 2011-18.
>> The Crimson Hawks made program history when they advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals for the first in 2021.
>> IUP is 21-13 all-time in the NCAA tournament. The Hawks have a 21-4 record in regional play with an 0-9 mark at the NCAA's final site. 

NCAA Notes
>> The 16 teams at the NCAA Championship were seeded based on season results, with IUP earning the No. 10 seed.
>> Barry earned the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament. 
>> The IUP/Azusa Pacific winner will square off against the winner of No. 2 Central Oklahoma and No. 14 Washburn.
>> IUP lost to Central Oklahoma 4-0 in last year's NCAA quarterfinals.

Notes
>> Karolin Kirchtag was named the PSAC West Athlete of the Year last week. She won singles and doubles titles at the PSAC and Atlantic Region Championships in the fall, was named the PSAC Tournament MVP in the spring, and heads to Florida with 12 straight singles victories. 
>> Kirchtag was one of four Hawks to earn All-PSAC West honors. Kirchtag, Joanna Stralka and Natasha Munday were all first team singles and doubles selections, while Katy Graydon joined them as a first team doubles pick.
>> This is the second time in program history, first since 2017, that IUP has put three singles players on the first team. It's the third time since 2018 the Hawks have had two doubles pairings on the first team. 
>> The Hawks are ranked No. 38 in the latest ITA Division II rankings. Kirchtag is IUP's only ranked player, checking in at No. 51 in the singles poll.
>> This will be the first ever meeting between IUP and Azusa Pacific. 
>> APU is the No. 15-ranked team in the latest ITA Division II rankings. The Cougars have two nationally-ranked singles players, including No. 6 Eleonora Liga and No. 68 Madison Kane.