ITHACA, N.Y. – The Reis Tennis Center on the campus of Cornell University will again serve as the host venue for the 2016 Liberty League Championships Men's and Women's Tennis Championships. Semifinal matches will be held on Saturday, May 7, followed by the championship matches on Sunday, May 8. The championship teams receive the Liberty League's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championships.

The top four qualifying teams in both men's and women's tennis, based on Liberty League round-robin play, advanced to the championship. On Saturday, May 7, men's matches will be played at 9 a.m. (#1 Skidmore vs. #4 Hobart) and noon (#2 St. Lawrence vs. #3 Rensselaer). The women's semifinal matches will follow at 3 p.m. (#1 St. Lawrence vs. #4 William Smith) and 6 p.m. (#2 Vassar vs. #3 Skidmore). The men's championship match is scheduled for Sunday, May 8, at 10 a.m. followed by the women's championship match at 2 p.m. All matches will be played to decision (the match will end once one team wins five individual doubles or singles matches).

MEN: Skidmore (12-4, 7-0 Liberty League) is the top seed and tournament favorite. The Thoroughbreds, currently ranked 20th nationally and seventh in the northeast region in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Division III poll, will be seeking its third straight Liberty League title. Skidmore defeated Rensselaer 5-2 in last season's championship match. Junior Kai Yuen Leung currently ranks as one of the top singles players in Division III. An All-American each of the past two years, Leung has a 21-5 overall record in singles matches, including a 12-2 dual match record. He also teams with senior Nick Tong to form one of the top doubles teams in the region, compiling a 23-5 overall record. As a team, Skidmore has lost just three singles matches and one doubles match in Liberty League play.

Second-seeded St. Lawrence (9-8, 5-2 Liberty League) qualified for the tournament after finishing fifth a year ago. The Saints defeated RPI (7-2) and Hobart (6-3) en-route to a second-place finish. St. Lawrence has received consistent contributions throughout its lineup. Senior Rob Schmitz (6-1) and junior Marco Amendola (5-1) have recorded the most singles wins in Liberty League play. Schmitz and junior Elliott Solandt have compiled a 4-3 Liberty League mark at first doubles.

Third-seeded Rensselaer (8-7, 5-2 Liberty League) will be looking to avenge a 7-2 loss to St. Lawrence from April 16. The Engineers lost top singles player McKinley Grimes to an injury, but have rebounded to win seven of their last eight matches. Sophomore Tristan Wise has moved up to the top spot in the singles lineup and is a perfect 4-0 at first singles (12-9 overall). Senior Sherman Uyeno is also 4-0 since moving up to second singles (7-6 in dual matches). Uyeno and Wise, a recently formed doubles team, have won both of their matches at first doubles.

Fourth-seeded Hobart (9-8, 4-3 Liberty League) earned its second straight Liberty League tournament appearance. The Statesmen have two of the league's top freshmen in Jonah Salita and Jonathan Atwater, who play first and second singles respectively. Salita has compiled an 8-8 dual match record while playing exclusively in the first-singles position. Atwater has an 11-6 dual-match singles record. In doubles, Salita and Atwater have teamed for an 12-9 record, including 3-2 at first doubles.

WOMEN: Three teams - St. Lawrence, Skidmore and Vassar - finished in a tie for first place with 6-1 Liberty League records. St. Lawrence received the top seed in the tournament due to Liberty League tiebreakers. The Saints defeated Vassar 5-4, but lost to St. Lawrence 6-3.

Skidmore (9-8) is ranked 26^th nationally and seventh in the recent NCAA Division III Northeast poll and will be playing for a sixth straight league title.  The Thoroughbred line-up has evolved over the season and features the All-American doubles team of Michelle Fuca and Madie Benn.  Brianna Greene has settled into the number one singles position with Benn at number two and Fuca at three.
 
"Our main focus has been getting ready for the Liberty League tournament," said Skidmore coach Curt Speerschneider. " The regular season is all just preparation for the post season, which is upon us.  We're ready to take it up a notch."

The strength of the St. Lawrence singles lineup has been in the middle as the team is a combined 40-13 in the three, four and five positions in dual match singles play. Junior Georgia Comber is 14-1.

Second-seeded Vassar (13-7, 6-1 Liberty League) is currently ranked 37th nationally and 13th in the northeast region. Along with a 5-4 loss to St. Lawrence on March 1, the Brewers earned a 5-4 win at home against Skidmore on April 2, breaking the Thoroughbreds streak of 40 straight wins against Liberty League opponents. Sophomore Kate Christensen anchors the Vassar singles lineup with an 11-6 record at the number-one position.

Liberty League Championship results will be posted on this page shortly following each match. Results will also be posted on Twitter at @LLathletics.

LIBERTY LEAGUE MEN'S & WOMEN'S TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS
SATURDAY-SUNDAY, MAY 7-8 – REIS TENNIS CENTER, ITHACA, N.Y.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE:

SATURDAY, MAY 7 – SEMIFINAL MATCHES:
9:00 a.m. – MEN - #1 Skidmore vs. #4 Hobart [RESULTS]
12:00 p.m. – MEN - #2 St. Lawrence vs. #3 Rensselaer [RESULTS]

3:00 p.m. – WOMEN - #1 St. Lawrence vs. #4 William Smith [RESULTS]
6:00 p.m. – WOMEN - #2 Vassar vs. #3 Skidmore [RESULTS]

SUNDAY, MAY 3 – CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHES:
10:00 a.m. – Men's Championship: [RESULTS]
2:00 p.m. – Women's Championship: [RESULTS]