The NCAA Division I men’s and women’s championships are set to kick off this weekend with first and second round play at various campus locations across the country. As the excitement builds for the tournament, a panel of experts shared their insights on dark horse picks and potential upsets in both draws.
Colette Lewis from Zoo Tennis highlighted the South Carolina, Stanford, and San Diego men as potential dark horses, while also mentioning the South Carolina and Oklahoma women as threats to upset a seed. She specifically pointed out the Arizona men as an undervalued team with the potential to make a deep run.
Julie Wrege from Tennis Recruiting Network identified Denver, Georgia, and Auburn as teams to watch for upsets in the early rounds. She also highlighted Auburn as her dark horse pick in the women’s draw, emphasizing their potential to surprise higher-ranked opponents.
Chris Halioris from College Tennis Ranks mentioned Stanford and Texas A&M as dark horse picks, with a focus on the Stanford men and the Texas A&M women making strong runs in the tournament. He also highlighted potential upsets in the first weekend, pointing out teams like San Diego, Stanford, and Michigan State.
Joey Dillon from The IX Newsletter shared his picks for potential upsets and dark horses, including South Carolina on the men’s side and Auburn, San Diego, and Duke on the women’s side. He also expressed his excitement for the possibility of a “Cinderella run” by the Pepperdine women.
As the tournament progresses, all eyes will be on these dark horse teams and potential upsets, adding an extra layer of excitement to the NCAA championships. Stay tuned for more updates and analysis as the action unfolds on the courts.