Story & photos by Ron Cioffi/USTA Southern
The University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill repeated as Tennis On Campus Southern champion and broke its tie with Auburn as the winner of most titles.
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UNC-Chapel Hill won its fifth title, adding to its triumphs in 2019, 2015, 2012 and 2010.
In an all North Carolina contest, UNC defeated North Carolina State 27-15 in the Alley Gold final. NC State fell to its rival in the Triangle in last year’s final.
UNC’s team captain Holleman Hughes was instrumental in two of his teams four set wins. Hughes and Grant McGraw won the men’s doubles 6-2 over the NC State duo of Evan Greer/Henry Pinyan. In the deciding mixed doubles, Hughes and Ellie Johnson had a bagel set, winning 6-0 over Orla LaBiche/Pinyan. Johnson and Gabriela Singer won their women’s doubles match 6-5 over LaBiche/Livia Popa. UNC-CH’s Charlie Schuls won the men’s singles 6-0 over Greer.
Sarah Jiang won the women’s singles for NC State, defeating Lizzie Stassenko 6-3.
The deciding match was played on the Yarbrough Tennis Center clay courts Saturday, Feb. 22 The two-day event started on Friday.
USTA Southern Director of Tennis On Campus & Schools Jeff Smith hosted 72 teams competing on four sites in and around Auburn. Twenty-four teams competed in the top Alley group while 48 teams played in the Rally group.
The champion and finalist teams in the top Alley group received bids to the 2020 USTA National Championship, scheduled for April 12-14 in Orlando, FL.
Other schools receiving bids to the national tournament are:
- South Carolina, Alley third
- Tennessee, Alley fourth,
- Georgia, Alley fifth, which also won a bid by winning 2019 Tennis On Campus Southern Spring Invitational
- Duke, Alley sixth
- Georgia Tech, Rally champion
- UNC – Wilmington, USTA Southern Tennis On Campus Club of the Year
Previous champions:
- 2019: North Carolina – Chapel Hill
- 2018: Auburn
- 2017: Georgia Tech
- 2016: Auburn
- 2015: North Carolina – Chapel Hill
- 2014: Auburn
- 2013: College of Charleston
- 2012: North Carolina – Chapel Hill
- 2011: Duke
- 2010: North Carolina – Chapel Hill
- 2009: Auburn
- 2008: Georgia
- 2007: Georgia Tech
- 2006: Georgia