FAMU Men’s tennis dominates at HBCU national championship

 

 

 

 

Florida A&M’s men’s tennis team successfully defended their title as HBCU National Champions on Saturday by defeating the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats this past weekend.

The Rattlers worked hard and claimed the title by a single point. This win is FAMU’s men’s tennis team’s sixth consecutive HBCU Tennis Championship in its 15-year existence.

“It was overall a good tournament. We only had five players,” said head coach Carl Goodman. “We swept every match except one.”

According to Chidi Gabriel, a fourth-year political science student from Piscataway, NJ, and men’s All-MEAC First-Team honors winner, said hard work pays off.

He also said being confident with your work ethic increases the execution of each match.

Gabriel transferred from the University of Louisville two years ago and has been a standout player for the team.

“Setting goals, aiming to accomplish them and giving more than 100 percent in each practice,” said Gabriel.

Temuera Asafu-Adjaye, a fourth-year health science student from Hawkes Bay, New Zealand, said working as a team was important when playing in the tournament.

“We were hosting the tournament, so all our players were required to help with organization of the tournament along with actually playing,” said Asafu-Adjaye. “Everyone pulled together and made a great effort to the championship through.”                                                                                                                                     

FAMU’s Chidi Gabriel defeated Salif Kante to earn the men’s Flight A singles title. In the Flight B title match, FAMU’s Admire Mushonga defeated Takura Happy in singles. Bethune-Cookman’s Moritz Pronath defeated FAMU’s Temuera Asafu-Adjaye for the Flight C singles title.

In doubles, Salif Kante and Takura Happy defeated Seve Day and Juan Varon of Bethune-Cookman (8-6) to take the Flight A title.

FAMU’s Chidi Gabriel and Admire Mashonga, who defeated Bethune-Cookman’s Moritz Pronath and Gilbert Rotich, would win flight B.

The top three finishers were as follows: FAMU (22 points), B-CU (21 points) and Prairie View A&M University (11 points).

This win in the HBCU tennis national championship is a testament to FAMU’s dominance in tennis.

No other school has been as dominant as FAMU in this tournament.

Part of the reason the Rattlers have dominated this tournament so easily is the level of the team’s talent. Goodman takes recruiting seriously and accepts only the best athletes to play for his teams.

Players like Kante, who was the No. 1 player in Senegal, won the junior college national tennis championship in singles and doubles lifting his school, Georgia Perimeter College, to super seven status in junior college tennis.

Gabriel and Levan Clarke were also highly recruited in tennis out of high school.
Another reason the Rattlers have remained on top in HBCU play is because of their tireless work ethic.

Players endure grueling workouts day in and day out to ensure the success of the tennis team each season.

The team continues to reap the fruits of its labor.

The sixth win at this year’s championship only solidifies the legacy FAMU’s men’s tennis team, and it has offered them a great start to their season.