No. 5 Virginia Wins Second Consecutive NCAA Title

ORLANDO, Fla. –  The No. 5 Virginia men’s tennis team (30-4) defeated No. 3 Ohio State (34-3) by a 4-0 score on Sunday (May 21) to win the 2023 NCAA Men’s Tennis Team Championship at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Florida.

This is Virginia’s second straight NCAA championship and sixth overall.

Virginia won the doubles point and took three singles matches in straight sets. Junior Iñaki Montes clinched the victory with a win on court two.

“It is a bit surreal like it was when we won last year,” said head coach Andres Pedroso. “I give all the credit to the guys, to the staff, the coaches. This is such a team effort. So many people have put so much time into a process like this. And the players are really special. really special. It was a tough semester. We went through a lot, and they just hung in there, and they trusted us. It’s a credit to the way they were brought up by their families, to their character, to their values, and to what they prioritize in life. And I’m just so like lucky to have these guys because they’re just such a pleasure to coach. So all the credit to the guys.”

In doubles, the Cavaliers slipped into an early hole with Buckeyes Cannon Kingsley and JJ Tracy winning 6-3 on court three, but Chris Rodesch and Jeffrey von der Schulenburg evened it up with a 6-2 win on court two. Von der Schulenburg was serving up 5-2 and won a deuce point to take that match. On the deciding court, Montes and William Woodall were serving up 5-3 and also won a deuce point to secure the win and tally the point for the Cavaliers.

Von der Schulenburg raced through a 6-2, 6-1 win against No. 22 JJ Tracy on court three to put the Cavaliers up 2-0 before court six had finished its first set.

Rodesch battled through his first set against No. 24 Justin Boulais on the top court, edging him out for a 6-4 win, and then took the second set 6-2 to put the Cavaliers ahead 3-0.

Montes also had a close first set against No. 11 Cannon Kingsley on court two, taking it 6-4. Montes led 5-2 in the second set and served for the win, firing off an ace to seal the championship.

“I think the difference between this year and last year might be that certain guys really stepped up,” Pedroso said. “Really stepped up! Alex Kieffer and Måns Dahlberg really stepped up for this team. William Woodall really stepped up for this team. We had our stalwarts in the top four, and those guys are always there for us. We just lean on those guys every single match, but those three guys really stepped up for us and even the guys on the sidelines: Doug Yaffa, Ty Switzer and our student manager Jacob Haley who’s just a blessing and just a difference maker. And so guys stepped up this year big time, and they needed to, and that’s probably what makes this year maybe a little bit more special.”

Rodesch was named the tournament MVP. He was one of four singles players to earn All-Tournament Team honors. Virginia also had two of the three All-Tournament doubles teams, including Rodesch and von der Schulenburg at No. 2.

“The energy in doubles we had, we came out firing,” Rodesch said. “We got those early breaks, and then we took doubles and first sets [in singles]. It just happened really fast. We had amazing body language all throughout doubles. Also in singles. Every time I looked over to Iñaki, the guy had his head up all the time. It gave me so much confidence. And then, at the end, it happened so fast. It’s an amazing feeling.”

UVA and Ohio State faced one another twice previously this season, with the Buckeyes winning 4-1 and 4-0 in those contests.

Virginia closes out the season on a 22-match win streak and did not lose an outdoor match this season.

This is the second NCAA title won by a Virginia team this year following the women’s swim title in March and the 33^rd overall.

The men’s tennis team won its first title in 2013, added three straight from 2015-17, and has won back-to-back titles in 2022-23. This is the second championship with Pedroso as the head coach. He was the associate head coach for the 2013 NCAA Champion squad.

2023 NCAA All-Tournament Team
MVP: Chris Rodesch, Virginia

Doubles:
1) Iñaki Montes & William Woodall, Virginia
2) Chris Rodesch & Jeffrey von der Schulenburg, Virginia
3) JJ Tracy & Cannon Kingsley, Ohio State

Singles:
1) Chris Rodesch, Virginia
2) Iñaki Montes, Virginia
3) Micah Brasswell, Texas
4) Ryan Goetz, Virginia
5) Alexander Kiefer, Virginia
6) Jack Anthrop, Ohio State

#5 Virginia 4, #3 Ohio State 0
Singles competition

1. #9 Chris Rodesch (VA) def. #24 Justin Boulais (OSU) 6-4, 6-2
2. #26 Inaki Montes (VA) def. #11 Cannon Kingsley (OSU) 6-4, 6-2
3. #49 J vd Schulenburg (VA) def. #22 JJ Tracy (OSU) 6-2, 6-1
4. #87 Ryan Goetz (VA) vs. #34 James Trotter (OSU) 6-4, 3-6, unfinished
5. Alexander Kiefer (VA) vs. #41 Alexander Bernard (OSU) 2-6, 6-3, 2-0, unfinished
6. Mans Dahlberg (VA) vs. Jack Anthrop (OSU) 6-7 (7), 0-1, unfinished

Doubles competition

1. #58 Inaki Montes/William Woodall (VA) def. #21 Robert Cash/Justin Boulais (OSU) 6-3
2. Chris Rodesch/J vd Schulenburg (VA) def. #16 Andrew Lutschaunig/James Trotter (OSU) 6-2
3. Cannon Kingsley/JJ Tracy (OSU) def. Ryan Goetz/Alexander Kiefer (VA) 6-3

Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (3,1,2)