Four Tartans Selected to NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships

(INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.) - Carnegie Mellon University will have four tennis players continue their season after being selected to compete in the 2019 NCAA Division III Singles and Doubles Tennis Championships at Stowe Stadium in Kalamazoo, Michigan, from May 24-26. Representing the women's program will be sophomore Melissa Strome (West Bloomfield, Mich. / West Bloomfield) and freshman Danna Taylor (Orlando, Fla. / Circle Christian School), while seniors Chaz Downing (Newport Beach, Calif. / Corona Del Mar) and Daniel Levine (Highland Park, Ill. / Boca Prep International School) will represent the men's program.

Both Strome and Taylor will be making their first appearance on the national stage and will compete as a doubles pair after earning a 16-9 record this season and finishing as the runner-up at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Cup Division III National Doubles Championship in the fall.

Taylor will also play for the NCAA singles title this year, marking the 11th straight year a female Tartan has earned the opportunity. The first-year Tartan has a 26-8 singles record, which is one win shy of tying the school record for wins by a freshman and three wins shy of tying the single-season win total. Taylor also played in the ITA Cup Division III National Singles Championship in the fall, finishing fifth after becoming the third Tartan, and first freshman, to win the ITA Southeast Regional Championship.

Both Downing and Levine will compete as partners in the men's doubles draw and as individuals in the singles draw, making a repeat appearance on the national stage. Downing won the ITA Southeast Regional Championship and placed sixth at the ITA Cup while together the senior pair took the regional title and placed fifth nationally in the fall.

This year, Downing and Levine have a 22-5 doubles record and will look to win their second NCAA Championship match after winning in the round of 16 last spring. As a singles player, Downing has a 21-8 record and will play in the championship singles bracket for the first time in his career. Levine, 13-10, was selected for the championship for the fourth time as a singles player and will look to advance past the competitive round of 16 for the first time after winning his first match each of the last three seasons. 

Follow the action at Kalamazoo College's host site.