By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech tennis fans will wait an extra day for the purple and gold to officially kick off the 2025 spring campaign, as Saturday's original match-up with Tennessee was moved to Monday at 9:00 a.m CT due to winter weather in Knoxville.
Instead, the Golden Eagles' tilt at Wake Forest on Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m. will represent the first action of the year for the Golden Eagles.
A look at Tennessee Tech
Tech's tangle with Wake Forest is the first of three straight true road matches to open the season, followed by Monday's affair with Tennessee. The match-up with the Vols was originally scheduled as the season opener for Saturday at 9:00 a.m. CT, but due to winter weather in the Knoxville area, the match was moved to Monday.
Sunday's get-together with the Demon Deacons is also the first of four affairs with "Power 4" competition, with the purple and gold also scheduled to square off at Vanderbilt on Jan. 16 and at Mississippi State on Feb. 2.
The Golden Eagles jump into the 2025 campaign after having learned of their preseason ranking behind Friday's release of the Horizon League Men's Tennis Preseason Poll. Tech was chosen to finish third in the conference's South Division. Belmont, the Horizon League Tournament runner-up, was picked to win the south, while last year's champ, Cleveland State, is the favorite to claim the five-team North Division.
A deep squad helps make up the 2025 edition of the Golden Eagles, with returners Alex Alvarez, Lucas Bitzer, Murilo Burckhardt, Lukas Krause, Darek Kuczynski, and Davids Spaks all bringing valuable experience back to the mix. New to the fold for the purple and gold are transfers Oliver Dao (Liberty), Benedikt Mosbauer (McPherson College), and Elyad Oshnavie (Rider), as well as freshmen Elia Lauper and Ricard Yepez.
A look at #4 Wake Forest
The Demon Deacons open their own 2025 spring campaign with the tilt against the purple and gold, part of a double dip for Wake Forest on its home court. Tech's in-state rival, ETSU, will also challenge the Demon Deacons on Sunday in a 2:00 p.m. CT match-up.
Wake Forest is coming off its fifth consecutive Super Regional appearance in 2024, ending with a 31-7 overall record and a 4-2 loss in the national semifinals to No. 2 seed Texas.
Inside the series
The Demon Deacons lead the all-time series 8-1, which includes a 7-0 victory over Tech in the most recent meeting back on Jan. 16, 2023. The Golden Eagles captured the first-ever meeting with a 5-4 triumph on Mar. 20, 1971. All nine previous clashes have taken place in Winston-Salem.
A look at #13 Tennessee
The Vols will also open the 2025 spring slate with a match against the Golden Eagles, also part of a doubleheader for Tennessee in Knoxville. UT will also take on Tech's in-state rival Belmont in a 2:00 p.m. CT affair.
Tennessee enters the match-up after a 25-7 campaign in 2023-24, also falling to national No. 2 seed Texas with a 4-2 decision in the national quarterfinals.
Inside the series
In a set that dates all the way back to 1935, Monday's rescheduled tilt will mark the 21st meeting in the all-time series. Tennessee has captured the previous 20 tilts, all of which have taken place in Knoxville.
Photo by Jim Dillon
