MEN’S TENNIS

Huntington University men’s tennis is headed to the national stage, with three Foresters earning spots in the prestigious Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Cup, October 15-18, at the Rome Tennis Center at Berry College in Rome, Georgia.

Junior Mete Koseoglu punched his ticket to the national championship field by capturing the Midwest ITA Regional singles title, earning one of eight automatic bids to the 16-player singles draw.

Joining him in singles competition will be Julian Tantera, who earned an at-large bid after reaching the semifinals of the Midwest ITA Regional Championships. Tantera’s strong regional showing, combined with his high national ranking from last season, secured him a return trip to the ITA Cup.

Tantera will also compete in doubles alongside Javier Lopez Real. The duo earned an at-large berth after advancing to the championship match of the Midwest ITA Regional Championships, hosted by Indiana Wesleyan University. Their consistent high-level play throughout last spring helped secure a place among the nation’s top collegiate doubles teams.

The ITA Cup is the premier national singles and doubles championship for NAIA, NCAA and JUCO tennis programs. The 40th annual event features eight regional champions and eight at-large qualifiers in each singles and doubles draw.

This fall, more than 8,000 collegiate players across all divisions competed in 85 regional tournaments for the opportunity to earn a coveted spot in the national championship field.