GEORGETOWN, Texas – Trinity University's eighth-ranked men's tennis team won its 13th consecutive Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Championship by defeating host Southwestern University 5-2 in Sunday's Tournament Final.

The Tigers improved to 16-6 this season with the win, while the Pirates fell to 18-6 overall. Trinity has defeated Southwestern in the SCAC Championship in eight consecutive seasons and Tiger men's tennis has now won 27 overall SCAC titles – the most in any sport in conference history by one team. Head Coach Russell McMindes has led Trinity to the SCAC Championship in each of his 14 seasons at the helm of the program, with the 2020 season that was canceled by COVID being the only year the team didn't win the title during that time.

Trinity jumped in front 2-1 after doubles play, which began with Rob Chang (Aiea, Hawaii / 'Iolani School) and Dalton Locke (Humble, Texas / Kingwood) scoring an 8-5 line three win over the team of Jared Burton and Steven Tibbetts of Southwestern. Alessio Azzalini (Rome, Italy / Istituto Paritario G. Visconti) and Rafa Candelas Ruiz (Zacatecas, Mexico / American School (Spain)) gave the Tigers a 2-0 lead after defeating Southwestern's Bernardo Clemente and Parth Patel 8-7 (7-5) in a line two tiebreaker. Hao Nguyen (Sugar Land, Texas / Strake Jesuit) and Eric Liao (Taipei, Taiwan / Boca Prep (Fla.)) were edged 8-6 at line one by Oscar Roy and Ashton Ellis to give Southwestern its only doubles point.

Singles began with Trinity winning the first set in five of the six matches on the court, putting the Tigers in great position to clinch the match. Azzalini started things off with his 6-1, 6-0 win at line two to make it a 3-1 overall score. Nguyen followed suit with a 6-1, 6-2 win at line one for the Tigers. Southwestern scored a victory at line three for its only singles point of the match, but there would be no comeback as Chang won 7-5, 6-1 at line six to clinch the match.

Up Next
Trinity receives the SCAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Playoffs with the win and the Tigers will find out the matchups and destination tomorrow. The NCAA is scheduled to reveal the full list of teams in the postseason tournament by noon (ET) on Monday, May 1.