ODESSA, Texas – Yesterday (May 15) it was announced by the NCAA Division II Men's Tennis Selection Committee that No. 13 UT Permian Basin men's tennis team will face No. 4 Columbus State in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Division II Men's Tennis Championships.

"Columbus State is a school I've respected for a long time. They have a stellar head coach and an experienced roster. I am really excited to compete against them though, because I 100% believe that we have a stellar coaching staff and an experienced roster too, "said Head Women's and Men's Tennis Coach Alex Hunt. "This Sweet 16 match up, as we've seen with all of our high level matches all year long, is just going to come down to which team is more focused and keeps their emotions under control. Whoever checks off those boxes right there will end up on top."

The Falcons are coming off a 4-3 victory over No. 2 Midwestern State – which was the first time in program history that UTPB beat the Mustangs.

"Beating Midwestern State for the first time in program history was huge, especially in the crazy magnitude of that moment made the accomplishment even bigger," said Coach Hunt. "It just goes to show that when you put your mind to something and you fully believe that you're going to do it, as long as you stay focused and keep working hard, you'll have every opportunity to accomplish what you're setting out to do. I'm super happy that when our moment came to do something special, we were ready."
  While UTPB is focused on their next match against Columbus State, they got to celebrate again before departing for Florida, as they found out yesterday, that Coach Hunt was awarded South Central Region Wilson Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Coach of The Year.

"Being named Wilson ITA Coach of the Year for the second time in my four years of head coaching so far is a tremendous honor. I appreciate my fellow South Central region head coaches for this honor because I know there were many deserving coaches in our region," said Coach Hunt. "I will say, though, as the head coach, I am nothing without my dedicated assistant coach, Joshua Lopez, and my team. Joshua has helped this program just as much as I have, and our team has bought into a vision we've all laid out together as a group. I know I have the best assistant coach in the nation. This award might be labeled the "Wilson ITA Coach of the Year," but in all reality, this is a full team award. All of us here at UTPB Men's Tennis appreciate the honor and recognition of the work we've been putting in."

Coach Hunt wasn't the only Falcon who won an award, as Vitaliy Horovoy was awarded ITA Most Improved Player.

"It feels incredible because there has been so much physical and mental work done. As well as so much sacrifice and discipline that has been put in," said Horovoy. "So, I wouldn't say it was expected. But something I was working towards and I'm really excited to earn that. Now I'm setting new goals and ready to earn more achievements."

The Falcons will be back on the court on Tuesday (May 21) to face the Cougars at 7 AM CT, in Altamonte Springs, Florida at Sanlando Park.