[oldalum]

I suspect the primary benefit is more matches against better competition, now that the Pac-12 is in a down cycle. The coaches obviously have a reason for doing it. But the fact that we have been winning without competing in the ITA Indoors doesn't mean we wouldn't have been better had we competed in it; our last two championships have been won by a whisker (versus our thumping by Florida last year). Having a low seed does hurt us in the NCAAs, it just hasn't been decisive--yet. In the NCAAs we have to play earlier/more against tougher competition than our rivals for the crown. This wears us down more, and with the semi-randomness of the deuce point acting as a wild card, the more close matches you play the more likely you will lose one. Two years ago in the NCAAs, every one of our wins beginning with the second round was 4-3 except the semifinal against Vanderbilt (4-2 because we unexpectedly won the doubles point in that match).

[oldalum]

I suspect the primary benefit is more matches against better competition, now that the Pac-12 is in a down cycle. The coaches obviously have a reason for doing it. But the fact that we have been winning without competing in the ITA Indoors doesn't mean we wouldn't have been better had we competed in it; our last two championships have been won by a whisker (versus our thumping by Florida last year). Having a low seed does hurt us in the NCAAs, it just hasn't been decisive--yet. In the NCAAs we have to play earlier/more against tougher competition than our rivals for the crown. This wears us down more, and with the semi-randomness of the deuce point acting as a wild card, the more close matches you play the more likely you will lose one. Two years ago in the NCAAs, every one of our wins beginning with the second round was 4-3 except the semifinal against Vanderbilt (4-2 because we unexpectedly won the doubles point in that match).