HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University men's and women's tennis teams are set to go to MEAC Championships this weekend. The MEAC has officially announced that Hampton won the MEAC North with no losses in it divisional competition. The Pirates and Lady Pirates will both play the first round of competition on Friday at 8:30 a.m. The Lady Pirates will play the Lady Aggies, while the men will face off against Norfolk State.

Hampton has not missed a beat when comes to capturing the MEAC North title. Their real competition comes when they face the teams in the MEAC South. We wanted to talk to head coach Dr. Robert Screen to see what it's like to coach champions.

What does it mean to play tennis at Hampton University?
“It means you are playing for one of the most distinguished programs in the nation, the tennis program has 41 championships. Before each match, remind the team that they are representing Hampton University, the most distinguished program in the nation, and means more than hitting a ball over the net.”

Hampton men's tennis has captured eight MEAC titles since joining the conference in 1996. The women's team has captured five since joining. With these accomplishments, do you feel like there is a target on your back?
“Absolutely, it's like everything else in life: people are waiting to see the champion fall but, with me, they'll be waiting a long time to see me fall. The only way they can reach those dreams is to get 200 percent better themselves.”

For more information on Hampton University tennis, please call the office of Sports Information at (757)727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.