Men’s Tennis Clinches Top Seed In Upcoming NESCAC Tournament

The #8 Middlebury men's tennis team clinched the top seed in the upcoming NESCAC Tournament and will travel to Amherst to battle eighth-seeded Trinity in the opening round of the conference championship at 9:00 a.m. 
 
ABOUT MIDDLEBURY

• The Panthers are making their 22nd appearance in the NESCAC Tournament, and have played in each conference tournament but one since its inception.
• Middlebury is looking to claim its 12th NESCAC Title and third-consecutive conference crown, having defeated Bowdoin 5-4 and Tufts 5-3 in the previous two editions.
• The program has won more matches than any other school in the history of the tournament, owning a 28-7 overall record.
• The Panthers concluded the regular season with a 16-3 overall mark and a 9-1 record in conference play. 
• Middlebury is the top seed in the NESCAC Tournament for the 10th time in program history.

PANTHERS TO WATCH

• Noah Laber has played exclusively in the top spot during the season, recording six wins. The senior has amassed 36 career singles triumphs while also going 8-1 in doubles this spring while partnered with Aidan Harris.
• In his sophomore campaign, Julian Wu has excelled. The Panther owns a 23-5 record and is 11-4 in dual play, including eight wins at #2. During the fall, Wu took home the ITA Regional Singles Championship and reached the semifinal round of the ITA Cup. 
• Neel Epstein has been phenomenal during the spring, finishing the regular season with a perfect 14-0 record in individual action. He has played throughout the middle of the lineup this season, with six of his triumphs coming in the fourth spot, while leading the Panthers in career victories (54). In doubles play, Epstein has emerged victorious in 16 contests, 11 of which have come during dual action. He has teamed up with Robby Ward for 10 of his triumphs this year.   
• Entering the weekend riding a seven-match winning streak in singles action is Harris. The senior has been Middlebury's most prolific doubles player this spring, earning a team-high 14 wins against just one loss. He is an unblemished 6-0 at #3 and has earned five triumphs when paired up with Wu. 
• Ward has been a steady contributor in the Panther lineup, securing 11 victories in individual action, playing mainly in the third spot. Ward has claimed 11 doubles wins, all coming in the top spot, and has partnered with Epstein for 10 of those victories. 
• In his initial campaign, Noah Lewis holds a 13-4 overall mark and has lost just once this spring (9-1). 
• The pair of Hugh Hentschel and Thehan Wijemanne have featured heavily in doubles play. Together, the duo are are 14-3 during the season and 6-1 in the NESCAC while playing primarily at #2. In the fall, the tandem won the ITA Regional Doubles Title and advanced to the ITA Cup.

ABOUT TRINITY

• Trinity earned a spot in the NESCAC Tournament for the 16th time and is seeking its first-ever conference title.
• The Bantams concluded the regular season with a 9-9 record and finished conference play with a 3-7 mark.
• Trinity is looking to reach the semifinal round for the fourth time in program history.

BANTAMS TO WATCH

• Eduardo Sanchez-Carrion has played at the top of the lineup in both singles and doubles this season. In individual play, he has secured five wins and has emerged victorious in his last two matches.
• In singles, Pierce Rutledge has played in 15 matches at #2. The Bantam has also split time between the top two spots in doubles play, claiming seven total wins.
• Andrew Nelson has seen action throughout the middle of the lineup this year. He began the spring with a 10-game winning streak that included six triumphs at #4.
• Also contributing to the scoresheets have been Rico Buoro and Brandon Felcher. Buoro owns six victories this spring, while Felcher holds an 8-7 overall record in individual play. The pair have teamed up in the third slot in doubles and claimed 11 wins during dual action.

SERIES HISTORY

• Middlebury and Trinity square off for the 26th time with the Panthers holding an 19-6 advantage in a series that began in 1937.
• Middlebury has won 17-straight decisions against the Bantams and have claimed five of the last six matchups by 9-0 scorelines. 
• The programs have met twice in the NESCAC Tournament (2022 and 2010), with the Panthers having swept each of those meetings 5-0.

ABOUT THE COMPETITION

• This year's NESCAC Tournament will feature four ranked squads besides Middlebury, including #5 Williams, #6 Bowdoin, #11 Tufts and #17 Amherst.
• Williams paces the NESCAC with 16 league titles, having claimed the crown most recently in 2021. The Ephs finished the regular season with a 14-3 overall record and an 8-2 mark in conference to earn the second seed.
• The Mammoths (six), Polar Bears (three), Jumbos (three) and Bates (one) are the only other programs to have earned the conference crown.

TOURNAMENT INFORMATION

• The top eight teams in the conference will qualify for the NESCAC Men's Tennis Championship held at Amherst College (primary site), Friday – Sunday, May 3-5. Wesleyan University (secondary site) will host four quarterfinal matches on Friday, May 3. All matches will be played to decision. Following the conclusion of regular season matches, the quarterfinal match sites and times will be posted on the NESCAC website.
• Championship Central

The NESCAC Champion earns an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, with the rest of the at-large selections being revealed on Monday, May 6.