“They’re going to have all of the fans,” junior tri-captain Tarek Austin joked.

For Harvard to overcome the Tar Heels’ home court advantage, it will need to rely on its depth, something that the squad sees as one of its strengths.

“One of the great things about our team is that we’re a very deep team,” Austin said. “There isn’t one powerhouse player that carries the team. All five guys and all five girls are around the same level, so we’re a good, cohesive group.”

In addition to men’s and women’s singles and doubles matches, the Crimson will compete in mixed doubles at the national competition. To prepare, the teams have begun holding joint practices.

“[Mixed doubles] really could be a make-or-break for us,” Leya said.

The trip to North Carolina will be the first time this year that the team has traveled out of New England. Women’s captain Katrina Welch, a four-year veteran of the team, was on the team when it last earned a nationals bid in 2008.

Welch tried out for the varsity tennis team during her freshman year, but didn’t make the squad. But rather than looking at it as a setback, she says the cut allowed her to find her niche at the club level.

“It was the best thing that happened to me because I was able to play on the club team and excel like I wouldn’t have been able to do on varsity,” Welch said. “That’s what is great about club, it opens up possibilities for students to make what they want of it.”