Pair of Nighthawks Selected To 2024 ITA Cup
DAHLONEGA – The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) has announced the draws for its annual ITA Cup and a pair of UNG tennis players were selected to play in the national tournament. The national collegiate tournament begins Thursday, Oct. 10 in Rome, Ga. at the Berry Tennis Center. Play concludes on Sunday, Oct. 13.
Junior transfer Pedro Liborio earned an automatic qualification into the ITA Cup after winning the men's open singles draw in the 2024 ITA Southeast Regional last week. With a win over Flagler's Aniss Rafiq 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 7-5, Liborio became the first men's tennis player in UNG history to win an ITA Regional Championship.
With Liborio's win, he will become just the second Nighthawk to participate in the ITA Cup on the men's side, joining the recently graduated Joaquin Benoit who appeared in two ITA Cups during his time at UNG.
Along with Liborio, senior Angelina Linnikova earned an at-large bid into the women's singles draw the ITA announced Friday. Linnikova finished the 2024 ITA Southeast Regional singles in the quarterfinals last week, earning an at-large bid to the national tournament for the second year in a row.
Last year, Linnikova was an at-large selection in the women's singles draw and made a run to the quarterfinals.
Linnikova not only had success in the singles portion of the regional, she also joined up with senior teammate Carolina Reis in the doubles competition and made a run to the regional finals. With their regional finals berth, Reis and Linnikova were selected as second alternates for the 2024 ITA Cup, meaning two other doubles pairs would have to drop from the tournament in order for Reis and Linnikova to make the draw.
Head coach Kent Norsworthy and the Nighthawks will make the trip to Rome, Ga. this week as Liborio, Linnikova and possibly Reis will look to earn the program's first-ever ITA Cup Championship.
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