HAMDEN — Quinnipiac men’s tennis is headed to New York City to face No. 8 Columbia at the Lions’ home courts in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday.

The Bobcats — donning their MAAC Champions T-shirts — gathered in the Athletic Center Conference Room in the Recreation and Wellness Center Monday at 6 p.m. for the Selection Show. In a room full of pizzas and approximately 30 people, they found out their opponent. 

While the top choice for the team was Harvard — according to the quick poll the team took right before the show — the Bobcats’ are not afraid of the Lions. 

“Mindset’s to win,” senior Shaurya Sood said. “Some of these guys, this is our last year. I do believe in doubles we can take the point, and from there we can take the singles.” 

Head coach Bryan Adinolfi praised the team’s chemistry throughout the entire season. For now, he doesn’t foresee any major changes to the lineup, not even in doubles. 

“We still have some days or practice and some work to do,” Adinolfi said. “We got some things to work out, but (there’ll be) potentially the same line-up.” 

The Bobcats already made history by winning their first MAAC Championship, something they have all believed they could do since the beginning of the year. 

“It’s a family to me,” senior captain Ayato Arakaki said, with the rest of the team watching him from the side. “I’ve been here for four years, but this is the best team I’d ever get.” 

This is Quinnipiac’s fifth NCAA Tournament appearance, first since 2010 and first since it joined the MAAC Conference. 

“We’re gonna do our best to pull off an upset,” Adinolfi said. “If we play with the fight and the heart that we did to win the conference then I think we have a chance.” 

The match is set for May 3 at 1 p.m. in the Philip & Cheryl Milstein Family Tennis Center.