NORFOLK, VA (WTKR)- One may not think of Norfolk State as a tennis school, but the Spartan men are doing their best to change that and could take a big step this week.
NSU will take the court as the No. 2 seed in the MEAC Tournament and look to claim the conference championship this Friday and Saturday. The green and gold finished 1-4 in league play a season ago and flipped that to 4-1 during the 2024 regular season. Now they have a chance to keep their memorable 2024 campaign going.
"That would be awesome if we could find a way to beat the number one seed (South Carolina State)," head coach Peter Banas said. "We barely lost to them, a couple points here and a couple points there, in the regular season. If we could find a way, it would be very great to show off in the national bracket."
"It would mean a lot for me personally if we can make it to the NCAA," added senior Boris Lunin. "That's a big goal of mine and it would be very surprising so I think it would be great for us and the boys."
The Spartans' resurgence comes one season after the program found itself struggling. NSU finished the 2023 campaign with a 4-16 record, after a 2-15 showing in 2022, but has found a way to turn things around with Lunin serving as the lone senior on the squad. Three freshman and two sophomores make up the rest of the roster.
"It feels great," Lunin said of the success. "Every match we play, we feel like we have a chance. Even though we've had some tough losses, we always feel like we're in the match and we always feel like we have a chance of winning. Compared to last year, it was like we had no chance of winning. Now it feels so much better."
Banas and his team are looking to put Norfolk State on the national tennis map. Two more wins finds the Spartans in the NCAA Tournament, which would mark a first for the program.
"I think we're going to go in the right direction," Banas said. "I think very soon, Norfolk State will be known as a tennis school, as well."
"We want to make Norfolk State known for tennis also," added Lunin. "I think we've done a good job this year and we're looking for the future, also, to make it a better program."
Norfolk State will meet either North Carolina Central or Coppin State in the MEAC semifinals Friday at noon in Cary, North Carolina.
