May 4, 2006

SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State doubles team of senior Benedikt Stronk and junior Markus Dickhardt received a bid on Thursday to the 2006 NCAA Men's Tennis Championships, scheduled for May 24-29, at the Taube Tennis Center on the campus of Stanford University in Stanford, Calif. The selection is the first for both players and marks the first time an Aztec duo has been chosen for the doubles championships since Oliver Maiberger and Ryan Redondo qualified in 2003.

Stronk and Dickhardt compiled a 14-4 overall record, earning a No. 13 national ranking in the latest ITA collegiate poll. The tandem was also 5-0 against ranked opponents this season, which included a victory over then-No. 1 Scott Doerner and Andre Begemann of Pepperdine on April 8, at Aztec Tennis Center. For their successful season, Stronk and Dickhardt received all-Mountain West Conference accolades in doubles competition to go along with their all-league honors in singles play.

The pairings for the 32-team field will be announced later this month.