Conference tournaments are done and now it’s time for the NCAA Tournament. The five schools to win both men’s and women’s championships were Alabama State (SWAC), Idaho (Big Sky), North Florida (Atlantic Sun), VCU (Atlantic 10), and Texas (Big XII).
There were 29 men’s conference tournaments with 18 (62%) won by the No. 1 seed, 7 won by the No. 2 seed, 3 won by the No. 3 seed, and 1 won by a No. 4 seed. There were 30 women’s conference tournaments with 17 (56%) won by the No. 1 seed, 10 won by the No. 2 seed, 1 won by a No. 3 seed, and 2 won by a No. 4 seed.
There were three men’s schools (Lamar/North Florida/Texas) that won the conference tournament as the host team while there were seven women’s schools (Army/Denver/Georgia State/Missouri State/North Florida/Texas/Winthrop) to pull off the same feat.
The 16 women’s schools that repeated as conference champions were Alabama State, Buffalo, Denver (5X), Furman, Idaho (5X), LIU Brooklyn, North Carolina (3X), North Florida (4X), Pepperdine (6X), Quinnipiac (5X), Stanford, UMKC, Vanderbilt, William & Mary (4), Winthrop (3X), and Youngstown State (5X). As you can see there were a lot of schools that have won it more than two years in a row with Pepperdine leading the charge with six straight WCC Championships.
The 13 men’s schools that repeated as conference champions were Alabama State, Bryant (5X), East Tennessee State (12X), Idaho, Lamar (3X), Monmouth (3X), Ohio State (3X), San Diego (5X), Tennessee Tech (3X), UC Santa Barbara (4X), UNC Wilmington, Utah State, and VCU. East Tennessee State has won 12 straight conference tournament titles with the last four coming in the Southern Conference.
Pac-12
UCLA won the Pac-12 Tournament Championship for the fourth time in the last seven years with a dominating 4-1 win over USC. The only real drama came during the doubles point when UCLA’s Martin Redlicki and Evan Zhu came back from 2-5 down to win the decider 7-5. The Bruins took five opening sets in singles and Martin Redlicki, Maxime Cressy and Connor Hance each won in straight sets with Hance clinching at No. 6.
Stanford won the Pac-12 Women’s Tournament Championship for the second year in a row (only have been two) with a 4-2 win over UCLA. The Bruins took the doubles point with a tiebreak win in the decider at No. 1 and then the teams split first sets in singles. Stanford’s Melissa Lord and Emma Higuchi won in straight sets at No. 2 and No. 6 while Caroline Lampl and Emily Arbuthnott came from behind to win in three sets at No. 3 and No. 4 with Arbuthnott clinching. When Stanford defeated Washington State in the semifinals it was win No. 1000 in the storied programs 44-year history.
ACC
Wake Forest won its second ACC Championship in the last three years with a 4-0 win over the No. 2 seed North Carolina. Senior Skander Mansouri clinched the championship with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 win at No. 3 singles which also made Mansouri the program’s all-time singles wins leader with 115.
North Carolina made it three straight women’s championships with a tough 4-2 win over top seed and arch-rival Duke in a match that took 3 hours and 43 minutes. Sophomore Sara Daavettila clinched the championship at No. 3 with a 5-7, 6-3, 7-5 win while the other remaining match at No. 4 was even at 6-6 in a third set tiebreak. The win was No. 600 for UNC head coach Brian Kalbas.
Mississippi State won its first SEC Championship since 1996 with a wild 4-3 win over the top seed Texas A&M. State’s No. 2 doubles team of Niclas Braun and Giovanni Oradini came back from 3-5* down to win the decider 7-5 and as evidenced by the final score that one point turned out to be pivotal.
Each team took three first sets in singles and four of the six matches finished in straight sets with Texas A&M leading 3-2 as the other two matches went to a third set. State sophomore Giovanni Oradini knocked off ITA No. 10 Arthur Rinderknech 7-5, 2-6, 6-2 at No. 2 which set the stage for the wild finish at No. 6 between State junior Trevor Foshey and A&M senior AJ Catanzariti.
Foshey jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the third set but Catanzariti won the next four to go in front 4-2. Foshey held for 3-4 and then Catanzariti came back from 0/40 down to hold for 5-3. Foshey held for 4-5 and then broke Catanzariti for 5-5 but Catanzariti broke back, via a double fault, to go up 6-5. Foshey broke back, via a double fault, to send it to a match-deciding tiebreak. Foshey won three of the first four points to go up 3-1 but Catanzariti would take the next four to go up 5-3. Foshey got the next point on his serve for 4-5 but then he sent a forehand long to give Catanzariti a pair of match points at *6-4. Catanzariti double faulted the first match point away and then an errant forehand made it 6-6. Foshey took the lead at 7-6* after Catanzariti misfired on another forehand and then Catanzariti double faulted again to give State the championship.
Texas won its first Big XII Championship since 2010 with a 4-2 win over the No. 5 seed Baylor. BU took the early 1-0 lead after claiming the doubles point but Texas came back in singles with four first sets. The Horns would close out all four of those in straight sets with junior Rodrigo Banzer clinching at No. 5 with a 6-4, 7-6(4) win.
Really appreciate the great crowd behind us today at Texas Tennis Center! We think we made it worth your while! ? Relive todays Big 12 title win over Baylor here ? pic.twitter.com/vRS7FZPOjt
Texas won its first Big XII Championship since 2013 with a 4-1 win over the No. 3 seed Texas Tech. The Horns rolled through the doubles point winning 6-2 and 6-0 at No. 2 and No. 3 and then the teams split first sets in singles. Texas would close out each of its three in straight sets with sophomore Anna Turati clinching at No. 2 with a 6-2, 6-4 win.
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Ohio State won its third straight Big Ten Tournament Championship, 11th in the last 13 years, with a 4-0 win over the No. 2 seed Illinois. The Buckeyes won the doubles point after JJ Wolf and Martin Joyce won the decider at No. 1 by a 6-4 score and then after taking all six first sets OSU picked up straight set wins from Mikael Torpegaard, JJ Wolf, and John McNally with the freshman McNally clinching at No. 3.
Michigan won its second Big Ten Tournament Championship in the last four years with a come from behind 4-3 win over the top seed Northwestern. Northwestern took the doubles point but Michigan came back in singles claiming four first sets. Northwestern closed out both No. 5 and No. 6 in straight sets while Michigan won in straights at No. 3 and No. 4. Michigan junior Kate Fahey tied the match at 3-3 with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 win at No. 1 but Northwestern’s Maddie Lipp had opened up a 3-0 lead in the third set at No. 2. Michigan sophomore Chiara Lommer clawed back to tie it at 4-4 and then after a no-ad hold for 5-4 she’d break to win it 6-4.
VCU swept the Atlantic 10 Tournament Championships in Lake Nona. The top seeded men repeated as champions with a 4-1 win over the No. 3 seed Dayton. VCU junior Javier Amantegui provided the clincher with a 6-2, 6-3 win at No. 4.
The top seeded women overcame the loss of the doubles point to win their fifth A10 title in the last six years with a 4-2 win over the No. 6 seed and defending champion UMass. VCU junior Anna Rasmussen clinched the title with a 7-6, 6-2 win at No. 1.
Marquette won its first-ever Big East Tournament Championship and will head to the NCAAs for the first time as well after the third seeded Golden Eagles defeated the top seed DePaul 4-2. Marquette dropped the doubles point but rallied in singles with five opening sets, three of which turned into straight set wins. MU junior Alvaro Verdu clinched the title with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 win at No. 1.
St. John’s won its first-ever Big East Tournament Championship with a 4-2 win over the No. 2 seed DePaul. The top seeded Red Storm took the doubles point and picked up straight set singles wins from Jessica Livianu, Olaya Inclan Solis, and Kajsa Stegrell with Inclan Solis clinching 6-3, 7-6 at No. 2.
Idaho swept the Big Sky with the top seeded men’s team rolling over No. 3 seed Montana 4-0 while the second seeded women’s team defeated top seed Northern Arizona 4-2. The men won the title for the second year in a row, third time in the last four years, with a dominating performance that saw the Vandals win all completed sets in singles.
The women won a fourth straight Big Sky Championship, fifth straight conference title overall with a WAC title in 2014, by overcoming the loss of the doubles point against NAU. The Vandals tied it up when Marianna Petrei won 6-0, 6-0 at No. 1 and a while later freshman Laura Spataro would clinch with a 6-0, 3-6, 6-4 win at No. 4.
UC Santa Barbara won its fourth straight Big West Tournament Championship, 9th in the last 13 years, with a 4-0 win over the No. 2 seed Cal Poly. The top seeded Gauchos took the doubles point and five first sets in singles and senior Simon Freund provided the clincher with a 6-4, 6-4 win at No. 3.
Hawai’i won its first-ever Big West Tournament Championship with a 4-2 win over the No. 3 seed Cal State Fullerton. The Rainbow Wahine, who last won a conference title in the WAC in 2012, took the doubles point and then collected its three singles wins in straight sets with junior Roxanne Resma clinching 7-6, 6-2 at No. 6.
Cleveland State won its first Horizon League Tournament Championship since 2013 with a 4-2 win over the top seed Detroit. The Vikings took the doubles point and then picked up its three singles wins with freshman Matthew Terry clinching at No. 2 with a 6-4, 6-4 win.
Youngstown State won its fifth straight Horizon League Tournament Championship with a 4-0 win over the top seed Illinois-Chicago. The Penguins took the doubles point and then the teams split first sets in singles. YSU got straight set wins at No. 4 and No. 5 and freshman Anastasiia Khokhlova clinched the title at No. 3 with a 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 win.
MAAC
Top-seededMonmouth won its third straight MAAC Tournament Championship with a dominating 4-0 win over the No. 3 seed Marist. The Hawks took the doubles point and won every completed set in singles with senior Ale Gomez Estrada clinching at No. 3 with a 6-2, 6-3 win.
Top-seeded Quinnipiac won its fifth straight MAAC Tournament Championship with a 4-1 win over the No. 2 seed Marist. The Bobcats, which are a perfect 47-0 against MAAC competition since joining the league in 2013, cruised through doubles only dropping three games and then they picked up three straight set wins in singles with junior Jennifer Lu clinching at No. 2 just seconds after freshman Dominique Vasile won at No. 1.
MAC
Top-seed Western Michigan won its second Mid-American Conference Tournament Championship in the last three years with a 4-2 win over the No. 2 seed and tournament host Buffalo. The Broncos dropped the doubles point but came back in singles with four opening sets, three of which they’d close tout in straight sets. WMU sophomore Jannik Opitz clinched the title with a 6-4, 6-7, 6-1 win at No. 2 while the other remaining match at No. 6 had just split sets. Video interviews with head coach Dave Morin and Jannik Optiz are in WMU’s recap.
Top-seeded Buffalo won its second straight MAC Tournament Championship with a 4-2 win over the No. 2 seed Miami. The Bulls dropped the doubles point and then the teams split first sets in singles. UB went ahead 2-1 with a pair of straight set wins but all the other matches would go the distance. UB extended its lead with a 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 win by sophomore Emel Abibula at No. 4 but Miami trimmed the lead to 3-2 with a 0-6, 6-2, 6-2 win by Nelli Ponomareva at No. 1. UB senior Lolade Ogungbesan shut the door with a 5-7, 6-2, 6-3 win at No. 3 while the other match at No. 5 went unfinished with it even at 2-2 in the third.
MEAC
Top-seeded South Carolina State won its 9th MEAC Tournament Championship in the last 11 years with a 4-2 win over North Division top seed Morgan State. SCSU senior Vladyslav Yanchenko clinched the title with a 6-2, 6-3 win at No. 1.
Morgan State won its first MEAC Tournament Championship since 1994 with a 4-1 win over North Division top seed Hampton. MSU senior Danielle Thompson clinched the title with a 6-3, 6-4 win at No. 1.
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Missouri State, which was the No. 4 seed, won its first Missouri Valley Tournament Championship since 2002 with a 4-2 win over the No. 6 seed Northern Iowa. The Bears took the doubles point and picked up quick singles wins at No. 4 and No. 6 but UNI rallied with wins at No. 1 and No. 3 to make it 3-2. MSU freshman Ellie Burger clinched the title with a 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 at No. 5 while the match at No. 2 went unfinished with MSU up 5-4 in the third.
Missouri State’s tennis program was discontinued after the 2006 season but was reinstated eight years later in the fall of 2014.
Top-seeded Utah State won the Mountain West Tournament Championship for the second year in a row with a 4-1 win over the No. 2 seed Fresno State. The Aggies dropped the doubles point but came back in singles with four opening sets and they’d close all four out in straight sets with sophomore Sergiu Bucur clinching the title at No. 2 with a 6-4, 6-3 win.
BACK-TO-BACK
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Fresno State, seeded No. 2, won its second Mountain West Tournament Championshp in the last five years with a 4-2 win over the top seed UNLV. The Bulldogs took the doubles point and picked up quick singles wins at No. 5 and No. 6 before UNLV charged back with wins at No. 1 and No. 4. UNLV had a set lead at No. 3 but Fresno State sophomore Katerina Stloukalova would pull away in the third set at No. 2 to clinch with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 win.
Top-seeded Navy won its second Patriot League Tournament Championship in the last four years with a 4-2 win over the No. 2 seed Army. The Midshipman jumped out to the early 1-0 lead after taking the doubles point but Army answered in singles with straight set wins at No. 3 and No. 5 to go in front 2-1. The other four singles matches each went to third sets and it was Navy that pulled out the first three to finish with Aries Wong winning 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 at No. 2, Peter Lohrback winning 6-1, 2-6, 7-6 (2) at No. 6, and freshman Andrew Ton clinched the title with a 6-7, 6-3, 6-2 win at No. 1 (video below is pretty grainy)
Southland
Lamar, who was the No. 4 seed, won its third straight Southland Conference Tournament Championship with a thriling 4-3 win over the No. 2 seed Texas A&M Corpus Christi. TAMUCC cruised through the doubles point to take the early 1-0 lead and then the teams split opening sets in singles. Lamar picked up straight set wins at No. 1, No. 2, and No. 4 while TAMUCC won in straights at No. 3 and No. 6. TAMUCC’s Okkie Kellerman served for the match in the second set up 7-6, 6-5 and had a match point on the 40/40 point but Lamar freshman Nicolas Mayr broke to force a tiebreak. In a wild back-and-forth tiebreak Mayr went up 4-0 then Kellerman won five straight to go up 5-4 before Mayr won the last three to force a third set. The final set stayed on serve until Mayr broke for 5-4 and then he served it out to win 6-7, 7-6, 6-4.
Top-seeded McNeese won its first-ever Southland Conference Tournament Championship and will advance to the NCAA Tournament for the first-time in school history after defeating the No. 3 seed Northwestern State 4-1. The Cowgirls took the doubles point and claimed four first sets in singles and would finish three of them off in straight sets with junior Giovanna Fioretti clinching at No. 1 with a 6-4, 6-4 win.
The Summit League
Top-seed Drake won the Summit League Tournament Championship in its first year in the league with a 4-1 win over the No. 3 seed Valparaiso (also first year in league). The Bulldogs only dropped three games in their two doubles wins at No. 2 and No. 3 but Valpo came roaring back in singles with four first sets. Drake added quick wins at No. 2 and No. 3 to go up 3-0 before Valpo got on the board with a quick win at No. 1. Drake managed to get splits at No. 5 and No. 6 and freshman Finley Hall would bring home the title with a 5-7, 6-2, 6-3 win at No. 6.
Top-seeded Denver won its fifth straight Summit League Tournament Championship with a quick 4-0 win over the No. 3 seed South Dakota. The Pioneers took the doubles point with ease and then they rolled through singles only dropping nine games in the three straight set wins at No. 2, No. 5, and No. 6. DU freshman Camille Verden-Anderson was the one that clinched with a 6-2, 6-1 win at No. 5.
West Coast Conference
Top-seed San Diego won its fifth straight WCC Tournament Championship and will be headed to the NCAA Tournament for the eighth year in a row after defeating No. 3 seed Loyola Marymount 4-0. The Toreros rolled to a 6-0 win at No. 2 doubles and a 7-6 (5) win at No. 1 made it 1-0. USD took five first sets in singles and got the three points it needed from Nico Borter, Joel Gamerov, and David Norfeldt with the freshman Norfeldt clinching at No. 5 with a 7-5, 6-0 win.
Top-seed Pepperdine won its sixth straight WCC Tournament Championship, 28th since 1986, with a 4-1 win over the No. 3 seed Loyola Marymount. The Waves dropped the doubles point but bounced back in singles with straight set wins from Ashley Lahey, Evgeniya Levashova, Dzina Milovanovic, and Adrijana Lekaj at 1, 3, 5, and 6 with Milovanovic clinching 6-2, 6-4 at No. 5.
Western Athletic Conference
New Mexico State won its third WAC Tournament Championship in the last four years with a 4-0 win over the top seed UMKC. After taking the doubles point, the second-seeded Aggies added four first sets in singles and it wouldn’t take long for Stijn de Haan, Sergi Espias, and Mauri Benitez to win in straight sets with the junior de Haan providing the clincher at No. 2 with a 6-2, 6-3 win.
BREAKING | Aggies claim the @WACsports title for the 3rd time in 4 years with a 4-0 win over UMKC!! Time to ?
UMKC won its second straight WAC Tournament Championship with a 4-0 win over the top seed UTRGV. The second-seeded Kangaroos took a 1-0 lead after winning the doubles decider 6-3 at No. 3 and then they added four opening sets in singles. Aliona Ladutska and Melinda Johnson rolled to quick wins at No. 1 and No. 3 and sophomore Thanushree Vale clinched the match with a 6-0, 7-6 (6) win at No. 5. UTRGV had third set leads on each of the three remaining courts.
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