DUDLEY, Mass. – The Nichols College men's tennis team has claimed the No. 2 seed in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) tournament and will host the No. 3 seeded Fighting Scots of Gordon College at 3:00 p.m. Wednesday at the Robinson Tennis Courts.

The Bison – who have claimed five-consecutive conference championships – have been to seven-straight CCC Semifinals and six-straight CCC Championships. The last time the Bison did not make it to the CCC Championship was the 2009-10 season when they lost to Salve Regina, 5-4, in the Semifinal Round.

"It has been an interesting year in the CCC with a variety of teams raising their level and emerging as contenders for the conference championship," said Nichols head coach Paul Brower. "The tournament is sure to be a good one."

Nichols (16-3, 7-1 CCC) is led by four all-conference honorees – most notably sophomore Blake Norton (Stratford, Conn.). Norton was named a CCC First Team selection in both singles and doubles. His doubles partner, freshman Brandon Howard (Hamden, Conn.) was tabbed CCC Second Team-Singles to go with his First Team nod in doubles.  

The Bison's No. 2 doubles pair of senior captain James Smith (Monte Sereno, Calif.) and freshman Guilherme Barbosa (Bradenton, Fla.) were named CCC Second Team-Doubles while both received Third Team-Singles recognition, as well.

The Fighting Scots (16-5, 6-2 CCC) advanced to the CCC Semifinal following a 5-1 win over Western New England in the Quarterfinal Round. Gordon is making its third-consecutive CCC Semifinal appearance following losses to top-seeded Roger Williams the last two seasons.

The Bison defeated the Fighting Scots to open up conference play back in late March, 7-2, in Pomfret, Connecticut. That match saw Gordon win at No. 1 doubles and No. 2 singles but Nichols taking care of business in the rest.

Six Scots were recognized by the CCC for all-conference teams – led by junior Mason Casady (Santa Barbara, Calif.) and sophomore Nathan Lookwhy (Westborough, Mass.) who were named both First Team-Singles and Doubles.

"Gordon is an excellent team from top to bottom," said Brower. "They have a number of very strong players and certainly present a test for anyone that faces them in the CCC Tournament."

The Bison have won the last nine meetings with the Fighting Scots and lead the all-time series at, 21-3. The last win for the Fighting Scots in the series came back in 2008.

Prior to dropping the final match of the regular season to top-seeded Eastern Nazarene, the Bison had won 15-consecutive matches dating back to October.

The winner of this match will advance to the CCC Championship on Saturday against either No. 4 Roger Williams or No. 1 Eastern Nazarene.