Jack Hoover
SPORTS EDITOR
A strong start to the fall season continued for the Mavericks as they took their talents to a nationwide competition on Oct. 4th through the 7th.
After having strong showings at the Drake invitational and the Creighton invite, the Mavericks traveled down to Tulsa, Oklahoma to compete in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-American championship.
Bringing together some of the best college tennis players in the nation, the All-American championship is hosted every year by the University of Tulsa dating back to 2008. The Mavericks have been competing in the completion since the 2014 season.
In that six-year span, this year’s edition proved to be one of Omaha’s most successful outings at the tournament.
Omaha junior Matt Hulme was one the standouts during the week, as he became only the second Maverick in program history to advance through the prequalifying rounds and reach the qualifying rounds. In getting to that point, Hulme played impressively against players from schools the likes of Memphis, University of Texas San Antonio and Pacific. Hulme’s run was eventually ended by Indiana’s Carson Haskins in the first round of qualifying. Overall, Hulme ended the week with a record of 4-1.
As for the other Maverick’s competing in the week’s action, success was harder to find. The other Omaha players involved were Nathan Reekie, Davis Lawley, Abdoul Ouattara and Hugo Piles Ballester. While thye played several close games, no other Maverick was able to pick up a win at the All-American Championship.
On the doubles side of the game, Hulme and Reekie teamed up while Ouattara and Lawley did the same. Neither of these pairs were able to pick up a win as well, as they both lost in the first round.
Men’s tennis time competeing in the ITA isn’t finished yet this season however, as they team will return to Oklhama to compete in the ITA regionals from Oct. 23 to 27. That will bring the fall slate of the tennis schedule to a close, as the team will prepare for a strong showing in the spring portion of their schedule.
