Sun Belt Championships Set for Thursday
For the second consecutive season, Denver's men and FIU's women are the No. 1 seeds heading into this week's Sun Belt Conference Tennis Championships. The tournaments, hosted by the University of South Alabama, are set to take place at the Mobile Tennis Center and the University of South Alabama
Mens Belt campus on April 21-24 in Mobile, Ala.Denver (9-12, 4-0) earned the top seed as the highest ranked men's team (No. 72) in the league, according to the most recent ITA rankings and will have a first round bye. The Pioneers are led by sophomore Enej Bonin, who is the highest ranked men's singles player in the league at No. 65 with an 11-6 record on the year. Denver seeks its first title since joining the SBC in 1999.
Also looking for their first championship, Florida Atlantic
Mens Belt earned the No. 2 seed with the best overall record (11-9) in the league. Senior Marc Abdelnour leads the Owls heading into the tournament ranked No. 120. Abdelnour stands 26-6,
Wholesale Beads, including a 17-3 mark at the No. 1 singles position. He is the school's career record holder in singles and total victories. He also ranks in the top five in every other statistical category.Tournament host South Alabama (7-8) rounds out the top three, entering the tournament with 16 SBC Tournament titles, the most of any other program in the league. Leading the Jaguars are senior Lucas Viel, and juniors Romain Bocaert and Dauw Kruger. Kruger is 11-4 in his spring campaign and is undefeated at No. 5 singles, along with currently holding a seven-match win streak. Viel and Bocaert partner up to form the No. 44-ranked doubles tandem. The pair went undefeated in dual matches this season and holds an 8-2 overall record.Rounding out the rest of the pool are Middle Tennessee, Louisiana-Lafayette, defending SBC champion Troy and Western Kentucky.
FIU (10-6, 6-0) earned the top seed in the women's tournament with the best team ranking in the league (No. 63) and earned a first-round bye.The Panthers are followed by No. 2 seed ULM, Louisiana-Lafayette and Arkansas State to round out the top four, all of which also earned a first-round bye.FIU
Mens Beltis looking to claim its fifth conference title in the last seven years. The Panthers have made the tournament finals each of the last six years, including last seasons' 4-3 loss to North Texas in New Orleans. All-time the Panthers have made the finals 10 out of the team's 12 total appearances in the SBC Championship, holding a 28-8 record since 1999. The Panthers are led by senior Liset Brito, who comes into this year's tournament with a 12-4 singles record, having won nine of her last 10 matches. She is currently ranked No. 57 by the ITA, the highest ranked women's singles player in the conference. Brito and teammate Rita Masiak form the No. 72-ranked doubles pair.
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