<HOUSTON, TEXAS> – DePaul men’s tennis has rearranged its schedule due to expected bad weather in Houston. The team’s matches at the 67th Ralph O’Connor Rice Invitational will now take place one day earlier.
The Blue Demons are set to face Rice on Thursday, March 5, at 2:30 p.m. CT. This will be DePaul’s first outdoor match of the 2026 season, previously planned for Friday morning. On Friday, they will compete against Alabama-Birmingham (UAB) at 3 p.m. CT, a match that was also moved from Saturday.
Currently, DePaul holds a 3-7 record and is 1-0 in BIG EAST play. They recently participated in the George Lott Classic held at XS Tennis Village. Notably, the Blue Demons scored a 4-1 win over No. 62 Cal Poly, marking their first victory over a ranked opponent since 2015. Later that day, they triumphed over Army with a score of 4-0.
Graduate student Alejandro Gandini has been leading the team. He achieved a perfect 3-0 record in singles at the invitational, extending his winning streak to four matches. His performance earned him the title of BIG EAST Singles Player of the Week. Gandini now has 43 singles wins and 47 doubles victories throughout his time at DePaul.
Rice Outlook:
- Rice’s doubles team features the nationally ranked duo of Santiago Navarro and Petro Kuzmenok, standing at No. 82.
- The Owls have appeared in the ITA national rankings twice this spring, peaking at No. 62.
- Petro Kuzmenok leads Rice with a 5-2 singles record.
- Rice is currently 5-2 in both the No. 1 and No. 2 doubles positions.
- They recently challenged No. 8 Baylor and lost a close match 4-3.
- The Owls are coached by Efe Ustundag, recognized as the 2025 AAC Coach of the Year.
UAB Overview:
- UAB has notable recent wins against Tennessee State, Auburn Montgomery, and Samford.
- Their tough early schedule included matches against established programs like Memphis and Ole Miss.
- Conor Flynn has been a standout player for UAB with a 6-3 singles record, currently on a five-match winning streak.
- The successful doubles pairing of Juan Pablo Valdez and Ondrej Valek sports a 5-2 record.
This weekend’s matches are crucial as teams aim to build momentum for the upcoming season. DePaul’s matches hold significance for fan engagement, especially as they prepare for their first-ever meeting with Rice.
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