The Arizona Wildcats are Pac-12 men’s tennis champions for the first time ever, capping a perfect run through the league’s regular-season schedule with a 4-1 win at Washington on Sunday in Seattle.
No. 14-ranked UA (20-5, 7-0 Pac-12) finishes a half-game ahead of USC (18-5, 7-1). UA beat the Trojans 4-3 on March 20 in a match that ended up deciding the conference championship.
“I’m really proud of our team, going undefeated in one of the toughest conferences in the country is special,” said coach Clancy Shields in a news release. “The boys came out as warriors today.”
Arizona will look to win the Pac-12 postseason tournament, which runs Wednesday through Saturday in Ojai, California.
UA won the doubles point against the Huskies, then got singles wins from No. 3 Colton Smith (6-3, 6-2), No. 4 Herman Hoeyeraal (6-2, 6-4) and No. 6 Nick Lagaev (6-3 6-2) in the match that clinched the win.
The Wildcats needed to win twice in the Pacific Northwest this weekend, and delivered by beating Oregon 4-2 on Friday and then the Huskies on Easter Sunday.
No. 48 Washington finishes the regular season at 15-10, 2-6.
UA, which is coming off its first Sweet 16 season in program history, hasn’t lost since falling at Baylor on March 11.
The UA women’s tennis team finished its regular season with a 4-1 loss at Arizona State on Saturday. Arizona is 16-10 overall and 3-7 in Pac-12 play, and will compete in the Pac-12 Tournament on Wednesday through Saturday in Ojai, California.
