USD Men and SDSU Women Advance to NCAA Tennis Tournament
San Diego’s college sports scene is buzzing right now. Several local teams have made big strides in their competitions, and the excitement feels contagious.
From some wild tennis tournaments to strong baseball and softball showings, San Diego athletes keep putting their talents on display, both nationally and regionally. Let’s dig into the latest from the University of San Diego (USD) men’s tennis team, the San Diego State University (SDSU) women’s tennis team, and a handful of other local college squads. If you want all the details, check out the original article from the San Diego Union-Tribune.
USD Men’s Tennis Team Triumphs Again
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The University of San Diego’s men’s tennis team, ranked 15th, just punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament. Head coach Ryan Keckley has led these Toreros to their third straight West Coast Conference (WCC) championship and ninth in the last ten years.
They’ve racked up a 20-5 record this season. That’s a lot of winning, and it shows how hard they’ve worked.
Thrilling Victory Over Pepperdine
Facing 27th-ranked Pepperdine, the Toreros pulled off a nerve-wracking 4-3 win. Oliver Tarvet, Manvydas Balciunas, and Adrien Berrut grabbed key singles victories and tied the match at 3-3.
Then, Stian Klaassen clinched it by outlasting Aleksa Pisaric in a wild three-setter: 7-6 (7-1), 5-7, 7-6 (7-4). Coach Keckley called it a “true storybook ending,” and honestly, it did feel like something out of a movie.
Upcoming NCAA Regionals
The Toreros will host the NCAA Regionals at Hogan Tennis Center. Their first opponent? 36th-ranked UC Santa Barbara.
UCLA (ranked 21st) and Arizona State (30th) are also in the mix. Should be a fun showcase for college tennis fans.
SDSU Women’s Tennis Team Heads to NCAA Tournament
The San Diego State University women’s tennis team locked in a spot in the NCAA Tournament after a stellar season. The Aztecs, sitting at No. 57, finished with a 21-3 record and just snagged their third Mountain West title by beating UNLV 4-1.
Key Players and Matches
Ninon Martinache, Gloria Alogo, and Vesa Gjinaj all picked up singles wins in Las Vegas. The doubles teams—Jo-Yee Chan with Vessa Turley, and Alogo with Liisa Varul—secured the doubles point.
Chan was up in her singles match when the team clinched. That’s always a good feeling, right?
Facing UCLA in the NCAA Tournament
Next up, the Aztecs head to Arizona State to take on UCLA in the opening match of the NCAA Tournament. It’s a tough draw, but they’ve shown they’re up for a challenge.
Other Notable Performances in San Diego Collegiate Sports
USD Women’s Tennis Team
The USD women’s tennis team (13-10) put together a solid season but fell 4-1 to 11th-ranked Pepperdine in the WCC championship match. They’re building something, and it feels like they’re not far off from breaking through.
UC San Diego Tennis Teams
The UC San Diego men’s team (10-16) exited in the Big West Tournament quarterfinals. The women’s squad (7-16) went out in the first round.
Both teams will look to regroup and make a stronger push next year.
Point Loma Nazarene Tennis Teams
The Point Loma Nazarene women (17-4) narrowly missed the PacWest Conference title, losing 4-2 to 14th-ranked Azusa Pacific. On the men’s side, they finished third in their conference tournament at 9-11.
There’s definitely some promise there for future seasons.
Baseball and Softball Highlights
SDSU Baseball Team
San Diego State’s baseball team just swept Fresno State in three games, a first in program history. That put them just a half-game out of first place in the Mountain West.
Junior right-hander Bryce McKnight earned Mountain West pitcher of the week honors. That’s a nice feather in the cap for the Aztecs.
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USD and UC San Diego Baseball Teams
USD’s baseball team (16-25) had a rough go, dropping two of three at home to Saint Mary’s. UC San Diego (18-21) picked up two wins out of three against UC Irvine.
Gabe Camacho led UCSD with 13 home runs and 41 RBIs. He’s been a real force at the plate.
Cal State San Marcos Baseball Team
Cal State San Marcos outfielder Zech Samayoa grabbed California Collegiate Athletic Association player of the week honors for the second time this year. He went 10-for-17 with three doubles, three home runs, and 10 RBIs during the week.
CSUSM (29-14) now sits third in the CCAA standings.
Point Loma Nazarene and Palomar College Baseball Teams
Point Loma Nazarene (38-9, 34-6) clinched the PacWest Conference regular-season title. Cal State San Marcos (43-6) wrapped up the CCAA regular-season title with a 24-4 record.
Palomar College, ranked No. 1 (34-5, 23-2), won the PCAC title by six games. They’ll host a first-round double-elimination series this week.
Palomar College Softball Team
Palomar’s top-ranked softball team (37-1, 15-0) heads into the playoffs riding a 25-game winning streak. The Comets will host Southern California Regional games as long as they keep winning in the double-elimination bracket.
Sophomore first baseman Alexis Huey took home the PCAC softball Triple Crown. Freshman outfielder Kailey Dain finished second in hitting with a .526 average.
Other Collegiate Softball Teams
Mesa College (26-12, 11-4) grabbed their best-ever No. 3 seed in the Southern California Regionals and will host Mt. San Jacinto. Southwestern (22-16, 9-6) opens at Mt. San Antonio as a No. 3 seed, adding even more depth to the local softball scene.
Golf Achievements
Cal State San Marcos Men’s Golf Team
Gavin McCormick won the individual title at the CCAA Men’s Golf Championships with a 4-under-212. He led Cal State San Marcos to a third-place team finish.
Liam Weaver and Kai Miyata also played well, tying for fifth and seventh, respectively. Not a bad showing at all for the Cougars.
San Diego State Women’s Golf Team
Kylie Phi from San Diego State finished 10th individually. The team took eighth place in the Mountain West Women’s Championships, rounding out a solid run for San Diego’s collegiate golfers.
San Diego’s college sports teams just keep showing up with grit, skill, and a real drive to compete. You see it on the tennis courts, baseball fields, and golf courses—these athletes are making a name for themselves and giving their schools and community plenty to cheer about. For more details, check out the San Diego Union-Tribune.