David Ekpenyong is First OLLU Student-Athlete to Compete for a National Championship - the ITA Cup

MOUNT BERRY, GA. (Oct. 12, 2024) - David Ekpenyong of Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) men's tennis will play in the championship match of the prestigious ITA Cup tomorrow. The ITA Cup is a highly regarded tournament in college tennis, showcasing the top players from across the country. Ekpenyong will face No. 3 seed Santiago Villarruel from Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) at 7 a.m. Central Time.

This is only the second time in OLLU history that the school has made it to the national championships, and the first time an individual has qualified to compete in a national championship. Last year, OLLU's softball team won the NAIA World Series. 

Ekpenyong has been a force to be reckoned with in the NAIA singles draw. He kicked off his journey by stunning the No. 1 seed, Perry Gregg from Holy Cross College, on Thursday in a nail-biting three-set match, 5-7, 6-2, 7-5. He then proceeded to dominate Francisco Perez Esnaola from the University of Northwestern Ohio in the quarterfinals on Friday, 6-2, 6-0. Today, Ekpenyong faced another tough opponent, No. 4 seed Octavio Volpi from Tennessee Wesleyan University, in a match that went the distance. Despite the odds, he emerged victorious with a score of 6-4, 4-6, 7-5. 

Head Coach Dave Watts addressed the match today, saying, "David had a roller coaster of a match today. He was down the entire third set and came back to win 7-5 in the third set with a match point on a deciding deuce point. I was so proud of his resilience today and his mental toughness. There were many moments that he could have gone awry, but he stayed focused and got it done. He will have a tough match tomorrow, but he has the skills to beat anyone in the country."

Tomorrow's match against a player from GGC is no walk in the park. The Grizzlies, with their impressive record of four consecutive NAIA national championships and a total of 10 since 2014, are a formidable opponent. Villarruel, who defeated the No. 2 seed in his semifinal match today with a score of 2-6, 6-3, 6-3, is not to be underestimated. With an ITA ranking of 9.3, he holds a slight edge over Ekpenyong's 11.4. 

For all the fans eagerly following Ekpenyong's journey, the opportunity to witness his final match is here. Fans can catch the action live tomorrow morning at https://web.playsight.com/facility/rome-tennis-center/home. It undoubtedly will be a thrilling event.