DURHAM, N.C. – After a noteworthy performance during the 2013 HBCU National Fall Tournament, finishing third place overall, the HBCU preseason ranked No. 3 North Carolina Central University men's tennis team looks to carry the momentum from the fall into the 2014 spring season.
The Eagles open 2014 action this weekend traveling to the neighboring Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) schools, North Carolina State and Duke.
NCCU is slated to take on the No. 35 N.C. State Wolfpack Saturday, Jan. 18 at 2 p.m. inside the J.W. Isenhour Tennis Center in Raleigh, N.C., followed by a 6 p.m. start time against the No. 7 Duke Blue Devils on Sunday, Jan. 19 at the Sheffield Indoor Tennis Center in Durham.
The opening two matches are two-of-four where the Eagles will face ACC opponents this season. NCCU will also travel to the University of North Carolina (Feb. 9) and Wake Forest (March 30) marking the first time in school history the program has competed against four schools from the ACC.
"This year not only will we play N.C. State, Duke and UNC but we will also play Wake Forest," said NCCU men's tennis head coach
Curtis Lawson. "This is a first for any NCCU program to compete head-to-head versus four ACC schools in the same season. Each of these schools are nationally-ranked, giving us strong nonconference competition on our schedule."
Since NCCU's transition to Division I in 2008, the Eagles have battled against at least one of the four in-state ACC schools each season.
"There is historical significance in these matches," said Lawson. "Once upon a time any one of our neighboring schools would not have given NCCU the time of day if asked to schedule a regular-season match. In the early days (1960s, 1970s), social and political stigmas would have ruled out the possibility of competing against an ACC team, and in the modern era our NCAA Division II status was a disincentive. In recent years, I believe that our program has developed to a level that there is a sincere respect in the tennis community for our pursuit of excellence. As a result, strong relationships have been fostered with our colleagues at Duke, UNC, N.C. State and Wake Forest."
During fall action at the 2013 ITA Men's Regionals (Oct.17-21) in Cary, NCCU's Stephan Charles-Donatien defeated an UNC opponent for the first time in school history, knocking off Connor Daly (6-4, 7-5).
In addition, the Eagles finished third during the HBCU National Tennis Championship out of 17 competing teams, marking the highest finish for the program at the event (Sept. 20-22) in Atlanta, Ga. Rounding out fall highlights, the Daniil Gerasimov and William East duo advanced to the championship round of the men's flight-A doubles finals of the UNC Wilmington Fall Invitational (Sept. 6-8), as well as the A-2 doubles draw at the Elon Fall Invitational (Oct. 25-27).
"Each year we strive to show steady progression, not only against the likes of the Duke, UNC, N.C. State or Wake Forest, but throughout the season," Lawson said. "We said at the beginning of our fall season, this year has all the components to be 'history in the making'. Several of the high points from the fall suggest we're on the right track: Daniil (Gerasimov) and William (East) winning the back-draw doubles at the UNCW Fall Tournament and finalist in the main draw of the Elon Fall Tournament, Stephan beating an UNC opponent in the ITA Carolinas Fall Regional Tournament, the team finishing in third place in the HBCU National Fall Tournament and recently receiving a HBCU preseason national rank at No. 3. I believe that our student-athletes benefit greatly from the experience of playing against these nationally-ranked programs and will help us reach our goal of advancing to the conference tournament."
