By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information Coordinator
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Spring has come early for the Tennessee Tech tennis team.
The Golden Eagles are ready to kick off their 2018 spring schedule with a Monday morning trip to Knoxville to tangle with the University of Tennessee. Match time is set for 10 a.m. CT from the Goodfriend Tennis Center.
Tech charges into the season-opener on a current run as good as any in school history. The Golden Eagles have claimed five Ohio Valley Conference regular season championships in the last six years, in addition to back-to-back OVC Tournament titles and two-straight NCAA Tournament appearances.
TTU returns four Golden Eagles from last year's championship squad, highlighted by two-time OVC Player of the Year Eduardo Mena. Now in his senior season, Mena put a lid on an impressive fall campaign that saw the Bultrago del Lozoya, Spain native move up to No. 28 in the Oracle Intercollegiate Tennis Association's national singles rankings, the highest spot in school history.
Mena put together a series of stellar showings in some of the nation's best tournament, including making 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. The 6-foot senior knocked off three competitors en route to advancing to the quarterfinals, including Mississippi State's Nuno Borges, the nation's third-ranked player.
Mena isn't the only Golden Eagle that returns with postseason accolades from a season ago. Sophomore Marc Mila enters his second year in purple and gold after taking home 2017 OVC Co-Freshman of the Year honors. Mila went 5-1 in OVC action.
Senior Jorge Alfonzo returns for his final campaign after an unblemished, 5-0, OVC season last year and a 10-4 overall spring record.
The Golden Eagles welcome four newcomers into mix, including ETSU transfer Wenceslao Albin, who turned heads after winning his singles bracket in the Wake Forest Fall Invitational back in early November.
Kenny Doyle is in his ninth season as head coach, having captured five OVC Coach of the Year honors in his first eight seasons at the helm.
UT will host Tech on the heels of a double-header sweep over Charlotte on Saturday to kick off the season. The Vols return five players, including junior Timo Stodder, an All-SEC player who enters the season ranked No. 36 nationally.
Photo by Tony Marable
