Kearney, Neb. - For the first time in school history, the Nebraska-Kearney women's tennis team will host an NCAA Regional.

Tonight, the 64-team field for the NCAA Division II Championships was announced and UNK (16-5) is the second seed in the Central Region. The complete bracket will be available at www.ncaasports.com.

The Lopers will host third-seed Augustana, S.D. (20-1) and sixth-seed Upper Iowa (10-5) at Harmon Park next Friday and Saturday (May 7-8). The event is free and open to the public.

The Vikings and Peacocks will square off Friday with the winner taking on the Lopers on Saturday. On both days, the matches will start at noon and end when five team points are scored.

On March 27th in Minneapolis, Augie beat UIU, 7-2, in the team's only regular season match.

The winner of this regional advances to the 16-team NCAA's, held May 12-15 at Sanlando Tennis Park in Altamonte Springs, Fla. The winner will face South Region # 1, which is being hosted by 4th-ranked Barry (Fla.), on May 12th.

Last year, UNK beat RMAC rivals Metro State and Mesa State in Grand Junction, Colo., to advance to the “Sweet Sixteen” in Altamonte Springs where the Lopers were nipped, 5-4, by Concordia (N.Y.).

In the other Central Regional, top-seed St. Cloud State (22-6) will play the winner of fourth-seed Mesa State (12-8) and fifth-seed Winona State, Minn. (13-7).

Overall, UNK is 2-3 in three previous NCAA trips. The Lopers also made it in 1997 and 2008, losing in the first round both years.