Navy Men’s Tennis Splits Squad for ITA Regional and Gold Invitational

The Navy men’s tennis team is splitting its roster this week to compete across two distinct events, traveling to Virginia for a national championship qualifier while simultaneously hosting a multi-team flighted tournament in Annapolis.

Half of the squad will head south for the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Atlantic Regional Championship in Blacksburg, Va., hosted by Virginia Tech. Play gets underway on Thursday with qualifying draw singles matches, while the main draws for both singles and doubles are set to begin on Friday.

Matches in Blacksburg will be held across Virginia Tech’s Burrows-Burleson Tennis Center and the nearby Washington Street Courts. The tournament serves as a crucial pathway to the national stage, drawing singles players and doubles teams from across the Mid-Atlantic Region in an effort to secure qualification for the NCAA Championship. According to tournament parameters, the winning doubles team and both singles finalists from each of the 13 regional championships nationwide will advance directly to the NCAA tournament.

Steve Nguyen enters the regional bracket carrying a 5-1 singles record and a 4-2 doubles record for the fall slate, bolstered by three singles victories at the San Diego Veterans Tennis Classic. He will be joined in Blacksburg by teammates Lachlan Buckingham and Ethan Garcia, both of whom have posted identical 3-3 singles records so far this season.

Navy Hosts Gold Invitational in Annapolis

While a group of players competes in Virginia, the remaining half of the Navy roster stays home to host the Navy Gold Invitational in Annapolis. The flighted tournament runs Friday through Sunday, utilizing both the USNA Tennis Courts and the Tose Family Tennis Center.

The home competition features players from Navy, Howard, Mount St. Mary’s, Loyola, and Lehigh. Action is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. on both Friday and Saturday. Organizers noted that start times for Sunday’s matches will be determined at a later date due to potential weather concerns.

Among the Mids staying behind in Annapolis are Jason Kim, who holds a 3-3 singles record, and Aaron Gu, who sits at 3-2 in singles play.