Barry Men's Tennis Wins Third Consecutive NCAA D2 National Title

Barry Men's Tennis Wins Third Consecutive NCAA D2 National Title

Bookmark and Share

Defeated Wayne State, 4-1, in Altamote Springs on May 22nd

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. - Barry University men's tennis defeated Wayne State University, 4-1, to capture the program's third consecutive national title. The Buccaneers now own six titles in men's tennis and 26 overall. It stands as the 11th men's tennis title for the Sunshine State Conference and 116th overall.

Summary info via Barry Athletic Communications

SUMMARY:

Doubles

  1. #19 Martin Gutierrez/Ignasi Forcano (BU) def #7 Daniel Grey/Cedric Drenth (WSU) 6-4
  2. #21 Arnau Rodriguez/Alejandro Ibañez Gallego vs. Dom Spicer/Luke Laws (WSU)  4-3, unfinished
  3. Alessandro Giuliato/Hugo Cazaban (BU) def. Niklas Karcz/Ben Lakeman (WSU) 6-2

Singles

  1. #7 Alejandro Palacios (BU) vs #30 Dom Spicer (WSU) 4-6, 6-1, 1-1, unfinished
  2. #13 Alejandro Ibañez Gallego (BU) def. Ben Lakeman (WSU) 6-0, 6-2
  3. #23 Alessandro Giuliato (BU) def. Niklas Karcz (WSU) 6-2, 7-5
  4. Daniel Grey (WSU) def. Ignasi Forcano (BU) (BU) 6-4, 6-3
  5. #7 Arnau Rodriguez (BU) def. Cedric Drenth (WSU) 7-5, 6-1
  6. Martin Gutierrez (BU) vs. Luke Laws (WSU) 6-3, 5-6, unfinished

HOW IT HAPPENED

  • Barry captured the doubles point with wins at the third and first flights.
  • Giuliato and Cazaban quickly put away Karcz and Lakeman 6-2 at number three.
  • At number one, the 19th-ranked pair of Forcano and Gutierrez avenged an earlier loss to seventh-ranked Drenth and Grey by winning 6-4 after trailing early.
  • Heading into singles, and needing just three of the six matches, #13 Ibañez Gallego worked over Lakeman 6-0, 6-2 to take the first singles point.
  • The Warriors wouldn't go away quietly. Grey beat Forcano 6-4, 6-3 at number four to trim the lead to 2-1.
  • The drama didn't last long, however. Rodriguez, ranked 73rd, rallied from down 5-4 in the first set to beat Drenth 7-5, 6-1.
  • The clinch came at number three, with #23 Giuliato taking the first set 6-2, then rallying from down 5-2 in the second set to with 7-5. 
  • The remaining matches went unfinished.

NOTEWORTHY

  • The Bucs won their sixth men's tennis national championship and third in a row (2010, 2013, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2022). 
  • For Barry's overall athletic program, it is their 26th national championship and 21st since 2004.
  • Barry moved into a tie for third with their sixth title, matching UC-Irvine (all of whose championships came before match play started in 1983). Lander (8) and SIU-Edwardsville (7) are the most in the division. 
  • The win avenged an earlier 4-3 loss to teh Warriors, when the Bucs were without Ibañez Gallego. The win evens the overall series at 1-1.
  • For head coach Thomas Hipp, it is his first championship as a head coach. He was an assistant coach at Barry in 2010 and 2013.
  • Ibañez Gallego, Palacios, Forcano and Giutierrez were all part of the three straight championships.