Saturday, May 06, 2006

DeLand, Fla. – Stetson's Marcus Echtler (Venice, Fla.) has been selected to compete in the NCAA Division I Men's Tennis Singles Championships May 24-29 in Stanford, Calif.

Echtler will be the program's first player to compete in an NCAA Tournament. "It is a great honor for Marcus, for our program, and for Stetson University for him to be chosen among the 64 players to compete in the individual championships," said head coach Pierre Pilote.

"He will be the first individual player in this conference in my 13-year tenure to play in the national championship." Automatic qualification is awarded to any conference with one or more singles players ranked among the top 125 in ITA standings.

Echtler is the highest ranked player in the Atlantic Sun at 113th. He had also reached the highest individual national ranking in the program's history at 104th earlier in the season. While serving as the Hatters' no. 1, Echtler posted a 15-5 singles mark this season including a 3-1 A-Sun record.

The sophomore was picked Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Year, named first-team all-conference and chosen as conference player of the week on March 21.

"Marcus had a great season and helped lead our team to a successful 19-5 record," said Pilote. "He will now play where he belongs - among the nation's best." Echtler will compete March 24-29 at the Taube Tennis Center in Stanford, Calif.

Release courtesy of Stetson Athletic Communications