The Abilene Christian University tennis teams both will be in action this weekend at the NCAA Division II Central Region Tennis Tournament -- and the Wildcat women will be playing at home.

The ACU women's team earned the right to play as the No. 1 seed and the host for the tournament after winning the Lone Star Conference championship last week.

Joining the team at Eager Tennis Center will be Northeastern State and East Central University. ACU is 3-0 against those teams this year, with one of those wins a 5-2 decision over ECU in the conference final.

Northeastern will open against East Central at 10 a.m. today in the only semifinal match. ACU earned a first-round bye. The winner of today's match will face ACU at 10 a.m. Saturday.

"I think it's really simple. We've got to go out there hungry and with a little bit of an attitude," coach Hutton Jones said. "They're good teams. Do I think we're better? Most definitely. But I just feel confident that we're gonna go out there and play. And if we go out there and play tough, I just have got a lot of faith in our team."

The Wildcat men will be playing in what amounts to a dual in their regional, taking place in San Antonio. Only teams with a record of .500 or better are allowed to play in the regional field. Only ACU and Incarnate Word fit that bill.

"There's a rule in D-II that you can't compete in postseason play without a .500 record," Jones said. "I feel it does nothing to enhance Division II tennis. If you play a tough schedule, which some teams in our region did, and you come up a little short, you're sitting home.

" ... It's still a nice match tomorrow, but it doesn't feel as good to not have a semifinal. I think the NCAA is missing the boat on the way it should be for Division II tennis."

Even with the odd setup, Jones feels good about his team's chances.

ACU's only meeting with Incarnate Word this season ended in a 5-4 Cardinal win in Abilene, and the Wildcats want that one back.

Their regional meeting will take place at 10 a.m. today. The winner of each regional will advance to the national tournament, to be played May 14-17 in Houston.