CHAMPIONS! The Chattanooga Mocs men's tennis team capped off its postseason run with a dramatic 4-2 victory over Saint Mary's (CA) to capture the 2025 UTR Sports NIT Championship title on Friday afternoon at the Rome Tennis Center in Rome, Ga.
Chattanooga (15-11) earns its first-ever national postseason title in program history following the win and concludes the year having won five of its final six matches. UTC and Saint Mary's (CA) (7-18) met for the first time in the all-time series' history.
Chattanooga opened the match with a 1-0 lead following doubles play after securing victories from the No.
1 and No. 3 tandems. Cortland Grove and Carson Gompert cruised to a 6-2 win at the No. 3 spot before the top pairing of Jakub Jupa and Gabriel Castillo clinched the team point with a 6-1 winner.
UTC built an early 3-0 lead in singles action following a 6-4, 6-3 win from Ryan Mudre at the No. 3 slot before Kristof Kincses provided a 7-5, 6-4 victory in the No. 5 hole. SMC pulled within one, 3-2, in the team score with wins at the No. 6 and No. 1 positions, respectively.
Needing just one point, Castillo and Grove were the final two Mocs left battling on center stage with the title-clinching moment hanging in the balance. Both matches went to the deciding third set locked at 5-5 before Grove, for the second-straight match, provided a clinching effort with a 7-5 decision, ultimately earning the Mocs its NIT title.
Following his championship-worthy efforts over the past two days, Grove was tabbed the 2025 UTR Sports NIT Championship Most Valuable Player during post-match festivities.
Complete info including the field, previous draw results and more can be found below.
Championship Match Results
Chattanooga 4, Saint Mary's (CA) 2
Singles
1. Carlos R. Membrives (SMC) def. Jakub Jupa (UTC) 6-4, 7-6
2. Gabriel Castillo (UTC) def. Thibaud Maxant (SMC) 6-4, 2-6, 6-5
3. Ryan Mudre (UTC) def. Finn Dyer (SMC) 6-4, 6-3
4. Cortland Grove (UTC) def. Pierre Lieutaud (SMC) 4-6, 6-4, 7-5
5. Kristof Kincses (UTC) def. Bastien Maxant (SMC) 7-5, 6-4
6. Francisco Duran (SMC) def. Jaxon Lamb (UTC) 7-6 (7-4), 6-4
Doubles
1. Jakub Jupa/Gabriel Castillo (UTC) def. Thibaud Maxant/Carlos R. Membrives (SMC) 6-1
2. Ryan Mudre/Jaxon Lamb (UTC) vs. Finn Dyer/Pierre Lieutaud (SMC) 4-4, unfinished
3. Cortland Grove/Carson Gompert (UTC) def. Aidan Watt/Francisco Duran (SMC) 6-2
Records/Notes:
Saint Mary's (CA) 7-18
Chattanooga 15-11
*Chattanooga wins the 2025 UTR Sports NIT Championship
*Cortland Grove named Most Outstanding Player
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (3,5,6,1,4)
T-3:13 A-81
2025 UTR NIT Championship Final Results
Dates: May 7-9, 2025 (all times listed ET)
Location: Rome Tennis Center · Rome, Ga.
Field: Chattanooga, Morgan State, New Mexico State, NC Central, UNC Asheville, Rider, Saint Mary's (CA)
Quarterfinals – May 7
M1: Chattanooga (BYE)
M2: Rider 4, UNC Asheville 1
M3: NC Central 4, NM State 3
M4: Saint Mary's (CA) 4, Morgan State 0
Semifinals – May 8
M5: Chattanooga 4, NC Central 3
M6: Saint Mary's (CA) 4, Rider 1
Championship – May 9
M7: Chattanooga 4, Saint Mary's (CA) 2