Back-to-back titles secured as both Asbury Tennis Teams advance to NCAA Regionals

Both Asbury men’s tennis (13–5, 6–0 CCS) and women’s tennis (11–7, 6–1 CCS) captured their second straight CCS Tournament titles on Saturday, with the men defeating No. 2 Covenant 4–2 and the women edging No. 1 Piedmont 4–3.

Top-seeded Asbury men’s tennis capped off a dominant run through the conference with a 4–2 victory over No. 2 Covenant, cementing their second straight CCS Tournament Title.

The Eagles found themselves in an early hole after Covenant swept the completed doubles matches to take a 1–0 lead. The Scots claimed wins at No. 1 and No. 2 doubles, while the No. 3 position went unfinished with Covenant holding a narrow edge.

Asbury quickly flipped the momentum in singles play, winning four of the six courts to secure the title. Covenant picked up the first singles point at No. 1, but the Eagles responded in a big way across the lineup.

Franco Patino delivered a key comeback at No. 2 singles, bouncing back from a first-set loss to win in three sets and even the match. Alejo Britos followed with a strong straight-set victory at No. 4, and Andres Caceres added another point with a decisive win at No. 5.

Ignacio Murillo then sealed the championship for Asbury with a commanding straight-set victory at No. 6 singles.

Second-seeded Asbury women’s tennis battled to a thrilling 4–3 victory over top-seeded Piedmont to capture the CCS Tournament Championship for a second straight season.

The Eagles came out strong in doubles play, securing the early 1–0 advantage. Alexandra Garcia and Katherine Nova earned a 6–4 win at No. 1 doubles, while Malory Watkins and Ariadna Zegarra clinched the point with a tight 7–6 (10–8) victory at No. 2.

In singles, Asbury quickly built momentum behind dominant performances at the top of the lineup. Katherine Nova cruised to a straight-set win at No. 1, and Ariadna Zegarra followed with a commanding 6–0, 6–0 victory at No. 2 to give the Eagles a 3–0 lead.

After earning Rookie of the Year honors a season ago, Nova became just the second player in Asbury tennis history to be named CCS Player of the Year for the 2026 season. She competed exclusively at the No. 1 position for Asbury all season, posting a 15-2 overall singles record, including a perfect 7-0 mark in conference play. 

Piedmont responded with wins at No. 5 and No. 6, and added another point at No. 3 to even the match at 3–3, setting up a decisive showdown at No. 4 singles.

Malory Watkins delivered under pressure, battling through a three-set match to secure a 6–1, 3–6, 7–5 victory and clinch the championship for Asbury.

Winning the conference again was unbelievable. The energy and passion during the final made the team obtain the title. I'm so proud of everything that happened today."

Alejo Britos ’26 Sport Management Major (Hometown: Buenos Aires, Argentina)

We received the victory that we will remember in our hearts forever. I am so proud of these girls, and I couldn't ask for a better team."

Ariadna Zegarra ’26 Business Administration Major (Hometown: Lima, Peru)

Both teams await their placement in the NCAA Division III National Tournament, starting on May 7. Stay tuned on asburyeagles.com for updates.