The 16-6 record of the Washington men's tennis team has earned them an at-large bid into the NCAA tournament to top off their 2006-07 season. The Huskies are one of four teams from the Pac-10 conference selected to participate and are the only team in the group from a state other than California.

Thirty-one conferences will send an automatic qualifier to this year's event, with UCLA representing the Pac-10. USC and Cal also received at-large bids for the conference.

The men will travel to South Bend, Ind., to play in the opening round May 11 against the University of Wisconsin, ranked 38 in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association poll. The Huskies, who are No. 32 in the nation, have never faced Wisconsin.

In the second round of regional competition, the winner of the Washington-Wisconsin match-up will face the winner of the match between Butler and Notre Dame, respectively the No. 5 and No. 1 seeds in the region. Notre Dame is also the host university for this bracket of the competition.

The Huskies, seeded No. 2 in the region, were defeated 6-1 by Notre Dame in a dual match early in the season, and the Huskies would relish an opportunity to avenge that loss.

"We got beat by Notre Dame before, but we've gotten better since that match," co-captain Alex Slovic said. "Guys are more comfortable now."

This will be the 13th consecutive year that Washington has participated in the NCAA Championship, and the team has reached the round of 16 in five out of the last six years.

Coach Matt Anger has been at the helm in each of the past 13 seasons in which UW has earned a bid in the championship. Before this season even began, Anger had high hopes for his team's postseason chances.

"We always end the season with a loss [in the NCAA tournament]," he said. "I'm hoping this year to go out with a win."

The draws for the singles and doubles portion of the event are to be announced today at 3 p.m.

Reach reporter Risa Pavia at sports@thedaily.washington.edu.