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McNeese's Munoz, SFA's Telford Named Jersey Mike's SLC Softball Players of the Week
FRISCO, Texas, April 22 -- The Southland Conference issued the following news:
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McNeese's Munoz, SFA's Telford Named Jersey Mike's SLC Softball Players of the Week
McNeese's Jada Munoz and SFA's Alexis Telford have been named this week's Jersey Mike's SLC Softball Players of the Week, the conference office announced Monday. Both players are second-time winners this season.
Softball Hitter of the Week: Jada Munoz - Jr. - INF - San Antonio, Texas (Sandra Day O'Connor High School)
Munoz produced a .667 batting average, .750 on base percent, and a 1.556 slugging percent in the Southland
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FRISCO, Texas, April 22 -- The Southland Conference issued the following news:
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McNeese's Munoz, SFA's Telford Named Jersey Mike's SLC Softball Players of the Week
McNeese's Jada Munoz and SFA's Alexis Telford have been named this week's Jersey Mike's SLC Softball Players of the Week, the conference office announced Monday. Both players are second-time winners this season.
Softball Hitter of the Week: Jada Munoz - Jr. - INF - San Antonio, Texas (Sandra Day O'Connor High School)
Munoz produced a .667 batting average, .750 on base percent, and a 1.556 slugging percent in the SouthlandConference series sweep over East Texas A&M in the Cowgirls' only games last week. Munoz was 5 for 9 at the plate with nine RBI, two homeruns, two double, drew three walks and scored four runs in the series. Her seven RBI's in the opening game of the series tied a McNeese single game record.
Softball Pitcher of the Week: Alexis Telford, SFA - Sr. - LHP - Allen, Texas (Allen High School)
Alexis Telford pitched 13.2 innings for the 'Jacks this weekend. She finished the week with a 2-1 record, 2.05 ERA, and 14 strikeouts. Telford pitched a complete game against TAMUCC with 8.0 IP, three hits, one run and eight strikeouts.
2025 Southland Conference Softball Players of the Week
Date ... Hitter ... Pitcher
Feb. 10 ... Veronica Harrison, Lamar ... Macie LaRue, Southeastern
Feb. 17 ... Haylie Savage, HCU ... Alexis Telford, SFA
Feb. 24 ... Claire Sisco, Nicholls ... Ryann Schexnayder, McNeese
March 3 ... Maria Detillier, Southeastern ... Madison Guidry, Lamar
March 11 ... AB Garcia, HCU ... Macie LaRue, Southeastern
March 17 ... Claire Sisco, Nicholls ... Julia Sanchez, East Texas A&M
March 24 ... Jada Munoz, McNeese ... Malia Williams, A&M-Corpus Christi
March 31 ... Molly VandenBout, Nicholls ... Hallie Burns, Southeastern
April 7 ... Erin Krause, Nicholls ... Mallory Pitre, Lamar
April 14 ... Erin Krause, Nicholls ... Molly Yoo, Nicholls
April 21 ... Jada Munoz, McNeese ... Alexis Telford, SFA
Southland weekly award winners are nominated and voted upon by each school's sports information director. Voting for one's own athlete is not permitted. To earn honorable mention, a student-athlete must appear on 25 percent of ballots.
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Original text here: https://www.southland.org/news/2025/4/21/mcneeses-mu-oz-sfas-telford-named-jersey-mikes-slc-softball-players-of-the-week.aspx
[Category: Sports]
McNeese's Dowell, Northwestern State's Hillen Named Jersey Mike's Baseball Players of the Week
FRISCO, Texas, April 22 -- The Southland Conference issued the following news:
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McNeese's Dowell, Northwestern State's Hillen Named Jersey Mike's Baseball Players of the Week
McNeese shortstop Easton Dowell and Northwestern State starting pitcher Trent Hillen were named the Southland Baseball Player of the Week awards for the tenth week of the 2025 season, which were announced Monday by the conference office.
Hitter of the Week: Easton Dowell, McNeese - R-So. - SS - Aransas Pass, Texas (Gregory Portland HS)
Dowell had a tremendous week, hitting .667 (8-12) in a three-game series against
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FRISCO, Texas, April 22 -- The Southland Conference issued the following news:
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McNeese's Dowell, Northwestern State's Hillen Named Jersey Mike's Baseball Players of the Week
McNeese shortstop Easton Dowell and Northwestern State starting pitcher Trent Hillen were named the Southland Baseball Player of the Week awards for the tenth week of the 2025 season, which were announced Monday by the conference office.
Hitter of the Week: Easton Dowell, McNeese - R-So. - SS - Aransas Pass, Texas (Gregory Portland HS)
Dowell had a tremendous week, hitting .667 (8-12) in a three-game series againstTexas A&M-Corpus Christi that included a home run, three doubles, four RBIs, and two runs scored. Dowell hit .514 (8-13) in four total games and raised his league-leading batting average to .431 after his weekend performance. He is now tied for the conference lead with 16 doubles on the year.
Pitcher of the Week: Trent Hillen, Northwestern State - Jr. - RHP - Morgan City, La. (Central Catholic HS)
Hillen allowed one unearned run in six innings as the Demons clinched a pivotal Southland series win against Lamar. He scattered seven hits thanks in part to holding Lamar to a 1-for-13 mark with runners on base. The lone two-out hit HIllen allowed came after inducing a double play in the second inning and the Cardinals were hitless in six at-bats with runners in scoring position.
Honorable Mention: Brennan Stuprich, Southeastern
2025 Southland Baseball Players of the Week
Date ... Hitter ... Pitcher
Feb. 17 ... Ryan Scott, UIW ... Brennan Stuprich, Southeastern
Feb. 24 ... Damian Ruiz, Lamar ... Alexis Gravel, McNeese
Mar. 3 ... Parker Edwards, HCU ... Brennan Stuprich, Southeastern
Mar. 10 ... Parker Edwards, HCU ... Cody Templeton, SFA
Mar. 17 ... Matt Gonzalez, New Orleans ... Trent Hillen, Northwestern State
Mar. 24 ... Josh Ibe, SFA ... Dylan Marionneaux, Northwestern State
Mar. 31 ... Balin Valentine, Northwestern State ... Grant Edwards, New Orleans
Apr. 7 ... Zak Skinner, Lamar ... Blake Lobell, Southeastern
Apr. 14 ... Conner Westenburg, McNeese ... Peyton Havard, Lamar
Apr. 21 ... Easton Dowell, McNeese ... Trent Hillen, Northwestern State
Southland weekly award winners are nominated and voted upon by each school's sports information director. Voting for one's own athlete is not permitted. To earn honorable mention, a student-athlete must appear on 25 percent of ballots.
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Original text here: https://www.southland.org/news/2025/4/21/mcneeses-dowell-northwestern-states-hillen-named-jersey-mikes-baseball-players-of-the-week.aspx
[Category: Sports]
FIFA: United Arab Emirates Turn to Olaroiu
ZURICH, Switzerland, April 22 -- The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) issued the following news:
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United Arab Emirates turn to Olaroiu
Vastly experienced Romanian the man tasked with trying to turn around the UAE's FIFA World Cup qualifying fortunes.
* United Arab Emirates sit third with two matches remaining in the third round of AFC qualifiers
* Pivotal clashes against Uzbekistan and Kyrgyz Republic await in June
* Cosmin Olaroiu will lead the nation, having worked at club level in the UAE for more than a decade
Ahead of two crucial FIFA World Cup(TM) qualification
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ZURICH, Switzerland, April 22 -- The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) issued the following news:
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United Arab Emirates turn to Olaroiu
Vastly experienced Romanian the man tasked with trying to turn around the UAE's FIFA World Cup qualifying fortunes.
* United Arab Emirates sit third with two matches remaining in the third round of AFC qualifiers
* Pivotal clashes against Uzbekistan and Kyrgyz Republic await in June
* Cosmin Olaroiu will lead the nation, having worked at club level in the UAE for more than a decade
Ahead of two crucial FIFA World Cup(TM) qualificationmatches in June, the United Arab Emirates have appointed Cosmin Olaroiu to take over from Paulo Bento, who was sacked last month.
With the UAE sitting third in Group A in Asia's third round of qualifiers, they have just two matches to try and bridge the four-point gap to second-placed Uzbekistan and secure automatic qualification. That task begins with a home clash against the While Wolves on 5 June before a trip to Bishkek to face Kyrgyz Republic five days later.
At the helm will be a man who has vast experience in Emirati football in the shape of 55-year-old Olaroiu. The Romanian coach has worked in the nation for more than a decade, across spells with FIFA Club World Cup-bound Al Ain FC, Shabab Al Ahli and latterly Sharjah, who he led to the final of the AFC Champions League Two just last week.
He is expected to oversee the club in that clash, against Singaporean outfit Lion City Sailors on 18 May before then joining up with the national team. Should the UAE fail to secure a top-two finish, they will then enter the AFC's fourth qualification round, in which another two automatic spots are up for grabs.
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Original text here: https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canadamexicousa2026/articles/united-arab-emirates-appoint-cosmin-olaroiu
[Category: Sports]
FIFA: James - I've Always Dreamed of Lifting a Trophy as Chelsea Captain
ZURICH, Switzerland, April 22 -- The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) issued the following news:
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James: I've always dreamed of lifting a trophy as Chelsea captain
Reece James discusses the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, dreams of skippering Chelsea to silverware and the Blues' fervent American support.
* Reece James will captain Chelsea at the new FIFA Club World Cup
* He's getting back to his best after an injury-plagued 18 months
* Says his dream is to lift a trophy as skipper of the Blues
Reece James may only be 25, but he's already ticked off plenty of his football
... Show Full Article
ZURICH, Switzerland, April 22 -- The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) issued the following news:
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James: I've always dreamed of lifting a trophy as Chelsea captain
Reece James discusses the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, dreams of skippering Chelsea to silverware and the Blues' fervent American support.
* Reece James will captain Chelsea at the new FIFA Club World Cup
* He's getting back to his best after an injury-plagued 18 months
* Says his dream is to lift a trophy as skipper of the Blues
Reece James may only be 25, but he's already ticked off plenty of his footballbucket list.
The boyhood blue, who first joined Chelsea FC at the age of six, rose through the ranks of their esteemed Cobham academy, going on to make his first-team debut in 2019. Less than three years later, he was a UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Intercontinental Cup(TM) winner, who had played more than a century of games for the Blues.
In 2023, he became the first academy graduate since John Terry to be named captain. Now, following in the footsteps of Terry, and other iconic Chelsea skippers of years gone by, is next on James' to-do list.
"It's something I've always dreamed of since (I was) a little boy, to play for the club and then to lift a trophy (as captain)," James told FIFA. "There are a few opportunities this season where I hope we can achieve that."
On a personal note, this season has undoubtedly been a positive one. Hamstring injuries limited James to just 482 minutes of action across all competitions last term. While he hasn't been totally injury-free during this current one, he's managed 830 minutes at the time of writing, while netting his first goal for more than two years against Bournemouth in January. He also made his long-awaited England return in March, which he marked with a first Three Lions strike against Latvia in qualifying for the FIFA World Cup 26(TM).
New Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca, who recently described James as a "fantastic" player following his superb UEFA Europa Conference League performance against Copenhagen, has played him right across the back four and, most notably, in central midfield. For James, he sees his versatility as a route to getting back to his best.
"I think it's basic: if you can play in more positions, you know you're probably going to play more often," he said. "I know whenever I feel I'm needed in any position across the field, I'd like to think I can compete at a high level and give my best for the team."
He'll hope to cap this year of development off by living out his dream of hoisting a trophy as Chelsea skipper. The Blues are into the Europa Conference League semi-finals, and will no doubt be eyeing the Wroclaw decider on 28 May. Following that, James will lead his side into battle in the USA, where they aim to become the first winners of the new FIFA Club World Cup(TM).
"The goal for any competition is to win," he said. "We have an amazing squad, amazing team, amazing manager, and our goal is to win. I think any trophy of this significance is a huge honour for the club and, obviously, the first time will go down in history."
Before James can think of lifting the trophy at MetLife Stadium in New York New Jersey on 13 July, he and his team-mates will need to navigate a truly global Group D. Brazilian giants CR Flamengo and Tunisian titans Esperance await, with a third opponent yet to be announced.
"I think that (playing against different styles) could work in our favour, but it could be difficult as well," he admitted. "We're used to playing against teams in and around Europe, so the style is going to be different (as well as) how they prepare, how they set up; it will be tough.
"The best players want to play against the best. Everyone at the club is excited and it should be an exciting tournament."
Chelsea will open their campaign at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium, a ground James played at in a friendly win over Mexican outfit America last August, during a pre-season US tour where some 240,000 fans turned out to watch the Blues. They'll then head to Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia for the final two group-stage contests.
Despite both venues being more than 3,500 miles away from home, James knows he can count on plenty of backing from the stands.
"To be honest, I don't remember too much about the (America) game, but the stadium is great," he admitted. "I think the support over there (USA) is great. The stadiums or arenas are a lot bigger. The atmosphere is great. I always enjoy being over there.
"There are many places with huge support and huge backing for our club. I think it's great to interact with fans across the US and outside the UK. We do a little bit of it during pre-season, so it's great to be back and competing for an actual competition and trophy. We're really excited to progress and hopefully go on to win the tournament."
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Original text here: https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/club-world-cup/usa-2025/articles/reece-james-chelsea-interview
[Category: Sports]
FIFA: Diogo Costa - A Keeper Raised in the Dragons' Lair
ZURICH, Switzerland, April 22 -- The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) issued the following news:
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Diogo Costa: A keeper raised in the Dragons' lair
Read more about FC Porto No1 Diogo Costa in our series on star players at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025.
* The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 takes place in June and July
* FIFA will be looking in depth at key players from each of the 32 teams
* The spotlight is shone here on FC Porto's star custodian
Diogo Costa was born in Rothrist, Switzerland, in September 1999. But the footballing gods had seemingly written in the
... Show Full Article
ZURICH, Switzerland, April 22 -- The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) issued the following news:
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Diogo Costa: A keeper raised in the Dragons' lair
Read more about FC Porto No1 Diogo Costa in our series on star players at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025.
* The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 takes place in June and July
* FIFA will be looking in depth at key players from each of the 32 teams
* The spotlight is shone here on FC Porto's star custodian
Diogo Costa was born in Rothrist, Switzerland, in September 1999. But the footballing gods had seemingly written in thestars that he was destined to dazzle in the Dragons' den.
He arrived in Santo Tirso , in the Porto metropolitan area, at the age of seven, before joining FC Porto's youth set-up in 2011. Since then, he has risen impressively through the ranks and is set to captain his side - one of two Portuguese clubs set to feature - at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025(TM).
Costa made his FC Porto first-team debut in September 2019, keeping a clean sheet in a Taca da Liga (Portuguese League Cup) encounter against CD Santa Clara. At just 25 years of age, he has already racked up more than 150 senior appearances for the club and lifted silverware along the way. Perhaps even more notably, he has earned the adulation of the fans, and not just at club level: as first-choice custodian for the Portugal national team, he has already shown an aptitude for penalty heroics.
Thanks to his stellar performances, Costa has become one of the most coveted goalkeepers on the European stage, with a host of elite continental competitors rumoured to be sizing up his signature.
"I stick by what I've always said: if I never leave Porto, the club that I love and where I learnt to play football, I'll be a happy man," he has said in response.
Diogo Costa factfile
Age: 25
Position: Goalkeeper
Nationality: Portuguese
Key attributes: Personality, agility, reflexes
Outstanding achievements
Diogo Costa won the UEFA European Under-17 Championship with Portugal in 2016 and the UEFA European Under-19 Championship two years later. As national youth champion and UEFA Youth League champion with FC Porto, his talent was widely recognised both at home and abroad from an early age.
Now the Dragoes' first-choice goalkeeper, Costa's senior-team accomplishments include the 2019/20 and 2021/22 Portuguese Primeira Liga titles, as well as having lifted four of the past five editions of the Taca de Portugal (Portuguese Cup), amongst other triumphs on home soil.
He has also set several individual records during his career, garnering a reputation as something of an expert in penalty situations, having broken the club record for most penalties saved and become the first goalkeeper to save three penalties in a single UEFA Champions League campaign.
Diogo Costa trivia
* When he claimed FC Porto's number 99 shirt, Diogo Costa simultaneously paid homage to a club icon and took up a significant mantle. Costa's legendary predecessor, Vitor Baia, wore the same shirt number during 16 trophy-laden seasons (across two spells) with the Portuguese giants, during which he won ten league titles, a UEFA Cup and, most significantly of all, the 2003/04 UEFA Champions League crown.
* Costa became the first goalkeeper in the history of the UEFA Champions League to save a penalty and provide an assist in the same game, in a 3-0 away triumph against Bayer Leverkusen in the 2022/23 season.
* For Portugal, Costa was hailed as a national hero when he racked up yet another record by saving all three of Slovenia's penalties in a thrilling UEFA EURO 2024 round-of-16 shootout .
Quotes
"Diogo was a little apprehensive about wearing the 99 on his back, but I told him that I wanted him to have it. I'm really proud."
Former Porto goalkeeper and club legend Vitor Baia
"Vitor Baia was my idol, but I also looked up to Helton, Iker Casillas and Edwin van der Sar a lot."
Diogo Costa
"I've worked with a lot of goalkeepers, and Diogo is at the highest level. The maturity he has developed and the experience he has gained at the club have enabled him to reach those heights."
Portugal national team head coach Roberto Martinez
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Original text here: https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/club-world-cup/usa-2025/articles/diogo-costa-porto-star-player
[Category: Sports]
Big 12 Men's Golf Championship Set For Southern Hills
TULSA, Oklahoma, April 22 -- The Big 12 Conference, a college athletic conference, issued the following news:
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Big 12 Men's Golf Championship Set For Southern Hills
The 2025 Big 12 Men's Golf Championship comes to Southern Hills Country Club, an eight-time major championship host, April 22-24. All 16 programs will take to the par 70 / 7,556-yard layout for the three-day, 72-hole stroke play format. The event commences with a 36-hole day on Tuesday, followed by 18 holes apiece on Wednesday and Thursday.
This year's event marks the first Big 12 Championship appearance for the Arizona, Arizona
... Show Full Article
TULSA, Oklahoma, April 22 -- The Big 12 Conference, a college athletic conference, issued the following news:
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Big 12 Men's Golf Championship Set For Southern Hills
The 2025 Big 12 Men's Golf Championship comes to Southern Hills Country Club, an eight-time major championship host, April 22-24. All 16 programs will take to the par 70 / 7,556-yard layout for the three-day, 72-hole stroke play format. The event commences with a 36-hole day on Tuesday, followed by 18 holes apiece on Wednesday and Thursday.
This year's event marks the first Big 12 Championship appearance for the Arizona, ArizonaState and Utah programs, and the first for Colorado since the 2011 event.
Oklahoma State enters the event as the No. 1 seed, ranked No. 4 nationally by the Clippd rankings on which the seedings were based. Arizona State is the No. 2 seed, with a national ranking of No. 5, followed by No. 3 seeded Utah and No. 4 Arizona, who comprise the league's four top 25 teams.
Reigning U.S. Amateur Champion Josele Ballester of Arizona State enters as the top-ranked individual, fresh off an appearance at The Masters Tournament. Oklahoma State's Preston Stout looks to become the first player to win back-to-back Big 12 individual titles since Texas Tech's Ludvig Aberg, who did so in 2022 and 2023 before rising to PGA Tour stardom. The team winner of the event receives an automatic bid into NCAA Regional, as does the individual winner, should his team not otherwise qualify.
Tee times begin at 7:30 a.m. CT on Tuesday, with live scoring available on Clippd. The final day is slated for a broadcast on ESPN+ from 11:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. CT with Ryan Burr and Carl Paulson on the call.
2025 Big 12 Men's Golf Championship - First Round Pairings
* 1st Tee
7:30 - 8:18 a.m. CT: No. 1 Oklahoma State, No. 2 Arizona State, No. 3 Utah, No. 4 Arizona
8:30 - 9:18 a.m. CT: No. 9 Kansas, No. 10 TCU, No. 11 K-State, No. 12 Iowa State
* 10th Tee
7:30 - 8:18 a.m. CT: No. 5 BYU, No. 6 Texas Tech, No. 7 Colorado, No. 8 Houston
8:30 - 9:18 a.m. CT: No. 13 Baylor, No. 14 Cincinnati, No. 15 West Virginia, No. 16 UCF
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Original text here: https://big12sports.com/news/2025/4/21/big-12-mens-golf-championship-set-for-southern-hills.aspx
[Category: Sports]
Arizona Takes Home 2025 Big 12 Men's Tennis Championship
WACO, Texas, April 22 -- The Big 12 Conference, a college athletic conference, issued the following news:
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Arizona Takes Home 2025 Big 12 Men's Tennis Championship
No. 2 seed Arizona earned a 4-1 win over No. 4 seed UCF to take home the 2025 Big 12 Men's Tennis Championship title Sunday at the Hurd Tennis Center. The Championship title is the first as a member of the Conference and improves the Wildcats record to 24-4 this season.
Colton Smith was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Championship with a 4-2 combined record at the Championship including two wins in the Championship
... Show Full Article
WACO, Texas, April 22 -- The Big 12 Conference, a college athletic conference, issued the following news:
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Arizona Takes Home 2025 Big 12 Men's Tennis Championship
No. 2 seed Arizona earned a 4-1 win over No. 4 seed UCF to take home the 2025 Big 12 Men's Tennis Championship title Sunday at the Hurd Tennis Center. The Championship title is the first as a member of the Conference and improves the Wildcats record to 24-4 this season.
Colton Smith was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Championship with a 4-2 combined record at the Championship including two wins in the Championshipfinal against UCF. He finished a perfect 3-0 in singles play and added another win in doubles against the Knights.
No. 2 Arizona 4, No. 4 UCF 1
In doubles, Arizona's duo of Alexander Rozin and Colton Smith on court two finished first with a 6-3 performance. Mehdi Benchakroun and Santiago Giamichelle then evened things up for the Knights with a 7-5 win on the No. 3 court. With the doubles point on the line, UCF's pair of Liam Branger and Paul Colin delivered a 7-6 (7-5) tiebreaking victory to take a 1-0 lead.
Jay Friend put the Wildcats on the board with a 6-2, 6-4 straight sets win at the No. 2 spot to even the score at 1-1. Casper Christensen then gave Arizona its first lead with a 6-3, 6-3 showing on court six. Smith followed suit and extended the lead to 3-1 with another 6-3, 6-3 victory on the top court before Rozin clinched the title for the Wildcats with a 6-3, 6-3 win on the No. 5 court.
The Wildcats and the Knights will wait to see who they play in the opening round of the 2025 NCAA Division I Men's Tennis Championship until the selection show on Monday, April 28 at 5:30 p.m. ET on NCAA.com.
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Original text here: https://big12sports.com/news/2025/4/21/arizona-takes-home-2025-big-12-mens-tennis-championship.aspx
[Category: Sports]
