GRANVILLE, Ohio (May 6, 2024) – The Denison University men's tennis team will continue its season this weekend after earning the North Coast Athletic Conference's automatic bid into the 2024 NCAA Division III Men's Tennis Tournament. The Big Red will travel to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where they will compete in the second round of the NCAA Tournament against the winner of Grinnell College and Ohio Northern University on Saturday, May 11.
The Big Red will enter this year's NCAA Tournament as the seventh-ranked team in NCAA Division III, and are the third-ranked team in the Central Region. The Big Red are 19-4 overall. This will be Denison's fourth straight and 12th overall appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
In 2022 at the NCAA Tournament, Denison won its second-round matchup as the Big Red defeated Sewanee by a final score of 5-2 in St. Louis, Missouri. It was Denison's second win in program history at the national tournament and was its first win since defeating Illinois Wesleyan University 4-0 in the first round in 1997. Then in 2023, Denison secured four straight victories in singles as the Big Red defeated the University of Mary Washington 5-2 in the second round of the NCAA Division III Men's Tennis Tournament held at Case Western Reserve University. Denison's win over Mary Washington marked the third win in program history at the national tournament, but it was Denison's second win at the national tournament in the last two seasons after a 24-year gap between wins before that.
Denison's roster is highlighted by three nationally-ranked sophomores in
Kael Shah (27-4),
Jacob Patterson (22-4) and
Ethan Green (21-8). Shah and Patterson and ranked No. 9 and No. 13, respectively, by the ITA while Green checks in at No. 33. In addition, with a record of 18-7 together, including an 11-4 mark at No. 1 doubles, Green and Shah are the No. 14 nationally-ranked doubles pair.
Record Breaker:
With a 157-37 career record between both singles and doubles,
Andy Mackler is Denison's all-time winningest player, a mark he reached during Denison's 9-0 win at Wittenberg on April 6, 2024. He has also posted career records of 73-17 in singles and 84-20 in doubles, both of which are program records for career wins. As a senior, Mackler is 26-3 in singles and 31-2 in doubles while in dual matches, he is 16-3 in singles and 22-0 in doubles. With his doubles win vs. Wittenberg in the NCAC quarterfinals, Mackler set Denison's single-season record for doubles wins. Then against Kenyon in the NCAC Tournament Championship, he set the program record for combined wins in one season with 57.
Potential Opponents:
Grinnell (24-3) is ranked No. 35 in the ITA poll and is ninth in the Central Region. The Pioneers advanced to their 17th consecutive NCAA Division III Tournament by winning the Midwest Conference Team Tournament. The MWC Tourney crown is Grinnell's 20th in a row and 21st overall.
Ohio Northern (19-5) won its third consecutive Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament title with a 5-2 victory over John Carroll University. The Polar Bears also won their third consecutive OAC Regular Season title and have now swept the OAC Regular Season and Tournament titles three consecutive seasons for the first time in school history. The Polar Bears are making their third consecutive and eighth NCAA Tournament appearance in program history overall.
2024 NCAA DIII Men's Tennis Championship Selections
Interactive Bracket
