Mississippi State Men’s Tennis Hosts Santa Clara in ITA Kickoff Weekend
Mississippi State’s men’s tennis team will host Santa Clara on Friday at 6 p.m. in Starkville for the opening round of the ITA Kickoff Weekend. The match, originally scheduled for Saturday, was moved up due to scheduling adjustments, according to the university.
The Bulldogs enter the weekend with momentum after a season-opening road stretch that included four matches. They secured their first ranked win of the season with a 4-3 victory over No. 24 Illinois. This marks the third consecutive year Mississippi State has hosted the event and the seventh time overall in program history.
Mississippi State owns a 17-13 record in ITA Kickoff Weekend matches. Last season, they went 1-1 while hosting Pepperdine and NC State. The Bulldogs have historically performed well against West Coast Conference opponents, with a 6-2 record overall and a perfect 2-0 record in the event.
Santa Clara, which boasts an unblemished start with wins over UC Davis and San Diego State, will be making its first appearance against Mississippi State. The Bulldogs are also hosting conference rivals Alabama and Auburn during the event. Last season, Mississippi State defeated Auburn but lost to Alabama.
Among notable Bulldogs, senior Petar Jovanovic and Benito Sanchez Martinez are making their first ITA Kickoff Weekend appearances. Jovanovic earned ITA Singles All-American honors last season after reaching the NCAA quarterfinals. The team currently ranks No. 7 in the ITA preseason poll and features five players in the singles rankings, the most of any school.
Head coach Matt Roberts, in his 11th season, is tied for the second-most career wins at Mississippi State with 216. Jovanovic, with 180 career wins, is close to surpassing the all-time school record. Mississippi State’s men’s tennis program is in its 102nd season, with more than 1,100 wins in its history.
Follow Mississippi State men’s tennis updates on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram under ‘HailStateMT.’ The team aims to continue its successful start and improve its ITA Kickoff Weekend record, which stands at 17-13.
Source: Original Article
