Kearney, Neb. - For a fourth straight fall, the Nebraska-Kearney tennis program will host the men's and women's ITA Central Regionals.

The women's event will take place this Friday-Sunday with the men's tournament in two weeks (Sept. 30-Oct. 2).

Action will be held at Harmon and Harvey Parks on Friday and then at Harmon Park over the weekend. In case of bad weather, things will move indoors to the Buffalo County Fairgrounds Exhibition Hall and to the indoor tennis center in Grand Island

The tournaments are free and open to the public. On all three days, play will begin at 8:00 a.m. and run through the day.

To reach the National Small College Championships October 13-16 in Mobile, Ala., players need to win either the singles or doubles bracket at their regional site.

Regional brackets are determined the night before (Thursday) at a coaches seeding meeting.

The small college championships are comprised of the eight regional champions from NCAA Divisions II and III, NAIA and Junior/Community Colleges

Teams in attendance this weekend will be the Lopers, Colorado Christian, Colorado State-Pueblo, Colorado Mesa, Metro State, Northern State and Upper Iowa from the NSIC and William Jewell, a new Division II school from Missouri.

Last year, Colorado Christian freshman Amy Andersen and the Upper Iowa's doubles team of Karli Loewecke and Amanda Nunez placed first in their respective brackets. Anderson is no longer at CCU but Loewecke and Nunez are back to defend their crown.

Loper sophomore Vanessa Gunawan should receive one of the top thee seeds in the singles bracket and has a great shot to make it to Alabama. A 2011 first-team All-RMAC pick, she easily won the "A" draw at last weekend's Washburn Invite.

In doubles, sophomores Candace Green (Kearney) and Britni Norfolk (Brashear, Mo.) won the consolation bracket last weekend, beating the No. 1 team from Washburn.

Prior to the tournament, UNK will dual Mesa on Thursday (12:00 p.m.) at Harmon Park.