TEMPE, Ariz. – The ITA released the final rankings for the 2018-19 season Wednesday afternoon, and for the first time in program history Cleveland State was featured in the Oracle/ITA Doubles Rankings, as the duo of Nico Mostardi and Benjamin Slade finished the year ranked 90th.
COMPLETE ORACLE/ITA NATIONAL RANKINGS
Mostardi and Slade finished the year with a 19-7 overall record, including a 14-6 mark during dual match play. The duo is one of just 21 doubles teams from mid-major schools to be featured in the final rankings, while they are the only Horizon League tandem to earn a spot in the top-90.
Mostardi and Slade played all of their matches at No. 1 doubles during the spring season, with their 14-6 dual match record marking a league-best. The duo went 1-1 against top-25 teams during the spring season, picking up a 7-6(6) victory against the 23rd ranked team of JJ Wolf and Martin Joyce of Ohio State during the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Earlier this spring, Mostardi and Slade helped the Vikings capture their seventh Horizon League Tournament title after going 2-0 at No. 1 doubles in #HLMTEN tournament play.
During the fall, the duo advanced to the second round of the Main Doubles Draw at the ITA Midwest Regional and captured the Viking Invitational Doubles Title.
Mostardi and Slade finished the year with 27 career wins as a duo, ranking third on the CSU Doubles Wins List, while Slade finished his Viking career with 70 career doubles wins to rank seventh on the CSU Individual Doubles Wins List.
