Ball State University
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Western Michigan University
Men's Tennis Competes at MAC Tournament Semifinals Saturday Against Host Western Michigan
April 21, 2023 | Men's Tennis
MUNCIE, Ind. - The Ball State men's tennis team will be the No. 3 seed in this weekend's 2023 Mid-American Conference Tournament which will be hosted by No. 2 Western Michigan in Kalamazoo, Mich.Â
The Cardinals will play their first tournament match on Saturday at 2 p.m. ET against the No. 2 seeded Broncos. Ball State enters the tournament with an 13-9 overall record for the year. Ball State dropped both of its regular season matches to WMU this year.Â
The last time the Cardinals competed at the MAC Tourney was in 2022 in Kalamazoo, falling to Toledo last year in the semifinals. The last time Ball State reached the title match was in 2019, falling in the championship match to Western Michigan.Â
Ball State last won the MAC Tournament title in 2014 by defeating Buffalo, 4-3, at the Cardinal Creek Tennis Center. Ball State head men's tennis coach Bill Richards has led the program to 38 MAC tournament and or regular season titles over his tenure with the Cardinals. Since the MAC tournament format started in 1997, the Cardinals have won it seven times (1998, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2011, and 2014.)Â
Ball State won its first MAC Championship in 1984 at Western Michigan. The Cardinals went on to win in Kalamazoo three more times after that, in 1991, 2005 and 2011.
A Ball State win will advance the Cardinals to the final round against No. 1 Toledo or No. 4 Buffalo at 1 pm ET Sunday. The matches are set to be played at Sorensen Courts, if inclement weather occurs the matches will be played indoors at the West Hills Athletic Club.Â
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