By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information Coordinator
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – He's done it again.
Having already established himself as one of the most decorated tennis players in Tennessee Tech history, Eduardo Mena adds another bullet point to a historical resume that makes him one of the all-time greats. The two-time OVC Player of the Year has moved up to No. 28 in the Oracle Intercollegiate Tennis Association's national singles rankings, the highest spot in school history, surpassing his preseason ranking of No. 33 from early September.
The list, announced Wednesday afternoon, ranks the top 125 players in the country.
Mena is one of only four players ranked inside the top 30 that does not hail from one of the "Power Five conferences," joining Portland's Michail Pervolarakis (No. 18), Columbia's Victor Pham (No. 19) and Tulane's Constantin Schmitz (No. 21).
Mena put together a stellar fall campaign that featured strong showings in some of the nation's best tournaments. Among the highlights, the Bultrago del Lozoya, Spain native made it all the way to the quarterfinals of the Saint Francis Health System ITA Men's All-American Championships in Tulsa back in early October. Mena toppled three competitors en route to advancing to the quarterfinals, including Mississippi State's Nuno Borges, the nation's No. 3 player in Wednesday's latest rankings.
Mena's impressive performance earned him a spot in the Oracle ITA National Fall Championships in Southern California at the beginning of November, the first Golden Eagle ever to compete in the exclusive tourney.
Photo by Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information