CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Cleveland State men's tennis team will continue the 2018 fall campaign this weekend, with the team splitting up between the ITA All-American Championship and the Rocket Invitational.
ITA All-American Championship | Tulsa, Okla. | Sept. 29-Oct. 8
Participants: Nico Mostardi, Matthew Terry
Nico Mostardi and Matthew Terry were both selected for the ITA All-American Championship based on their performances last year, with Terry competing in the Pre-Qualifying Draw and Mostardi beginning play in the Qualifying Draw. Sixteen players from the Pre-Qualifying Draw will advance to the Qualifying Draw, which will be played Monday, October 1-Tuesday, October 2. Another 16 players will then advance from the Qualifying draw to the Main Draw, which will be held Thursday, October 4-Monday, October 8.
This will be the second tournament of the season for both Mostardi and Terry, as Mostardi participated in the Oracle ITA Masters and Terry competed in the Milwaukee Tennis Classic last weekend. Mostardi enters the weekend with a 1-2 singles record on the year, while Terry stands at 3-1 after the first weekend of action.
This will be the first time since the 2010-11 season that Cleveland State will be represented at the ITA All-American Championship.
Rocket Invitational | Toledo, Ohio | Sept. 28-Sept. 30
Participants: Clark Bilinovich, William Malm, Luke Phillips, Jack Santilli, Benjamin Slade, Raul Teichmann
Cleveland State will be one of six teams at the Rocket Invitational this weekend, joining Detroit Mercy, Duquesne, Youngstown State, Western Michigan, and Toledo.
This will be the first tournament of the fall for Bilinovich, Malm, Santilli, Slade, and Teichmann, while it will be the second time on the courts for Phillips. Last weekend, Phillips participated in the Milwaukee Tennis Classic, finishing the weekend with a 1-2 singles record.
The Vikings
Cleveland State returns six letterwinners for the 2018-19 campaign, while this veteran group will be joined by two newcomers. Last year, Cleveland State captured its sixth Horizon League Tournament title, and made its sixth appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
2018-19 ROSTER | 2018-19 MATCH-BY-MATCH STATS
2018 Fall Campaign
This marks the second of five weekends during the fall campaign for the Vikings, with Cleveland State also set to participate in the Purdue Fall Invitational (Oct. 5-7), ITA Midwest Regional (Oct. 17-21) and the third annual Viking Invitational (Nov. 2-4).
Mostardi Chasing Win #50
Entering this weekend's ITA All-American Championship, Nico Mostardi is just three wins shy of reaching 50 victories for his career. Mostardi, who has a 47-29 career record, would become the 14th Viking to join the 50-win club, joining teammate Benjamin Slade.
Slade On CSU Singles Wins List
Entering his senior season, Benjamin Slade is tied for ninth on the CSU Singles Wins List, beginning the 2018-19 campaign with 60 career victories. Slade, who is one of 10 Vikings all-time with 60 career wins, needs just two more wins to move into eighth place on the singles wins list, and needs 10 more wins to become the eighth Viking all-time with 70+ career victories.
Head Coach Brian Etzkin
Cleveland State will be under the direction of 17-year head coach Brian Etzkin – the all-time winningest coach in program history. Etzkin has led Cleveland State to all six Horizon League tournament titles in program history, along with all six trips to the NCAA Tournament.
