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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
Belmont
Men’s Tennis Set to Cap Off Non-Conference Schedule with Belmont
3/5/2023 | Men's Tennis
Rebels to Host the Bruins for Doubleheader on March 6
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NO. 59 OLE MISS (9-2, 1-0 SEC) vs. Belmont (6-2, 0-0 Horizon) Monday, Mar. 6 • 10 a.m./2 p.m. CT • Oxford, Miss. Palmer/Salloum Outdoor Tennis Center |
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OXFORD, Miss. – The Ole Miss men's tennis team returns to action on Monday, March 6 to wrap up the squad's non-conference schedule, with the Rebels set to play two matches against the Belmont Bruins.
On the heels of their upset victory over Mississippi State, the Rebels (9-2, 1-0 SEC) carry a six-match win streak into the team's non-conference finale on Monday, with the team set to host Belmont (6-2, 0-0 Horizon) for a pair of matches on March 6. Match times are currently set for 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. CT.
Weather permitting, both matches will be played at the Palmer/Salloum Outdoor Tennis Center. In the event of inclement weather or a drop in temperature, matches will be moved indoors to the William F. Galtney Tennis Center.
Live scoring and live video for both matches will be available to the public. Links to both can be found above as well as on the Ole Miss men's tennis schedule page.
Rebels in the Rankings
For the first time of the 2023 spring season, Ole Miss men's tennis found itself ranked inside of ITA's Top 75 NCAA Team Rankings leading up to the team's slate of matches. The Rebels clocked in at No. 59 overall in the country, earning their first team ranking since the final ITA Top 75 rankings of the 2021-22 season last May. Rebel senior Nikola Slavic remains the lone Ole Miss men's tennis player to find a spot in the ITA rankings for singles play, with Slavic settling in the No. 68 position in the nation. With a record of 8-5 in 2022-23, the reigning ITA All-American is coming off of two ranked singles wins for the Rebels over the previous two matches. He sits tied with John Hallquist Lithen at a team-high three ranked wins on the season so far.
Rebels Open SEC Play with Upset Win Over Mississippi State
The Rebels put together a strong start to their SEC schedule on Saturday, as the team pulled off their biggest win of the season by toppling No. 18 ranked Mississippi State at Palmer/Salloum Tennis Center. Despite the Bulldogs entering the matchup with only one loss to their name in 2023, the Rebels were unfazed as key ranked singles and doubles victories fueled the team to a 4-3 win over the Bulldogs. This now marks the third straight year in which the Rebels have beaten MSU, with the last loss for the Rebels coming in 2019. "When you get to play against State in your SEC opener and you get the kind of crowd that we had today, it's just so much fun," senior Nikola Slavic said. "To be honest, I don't remember the last time we had such a good crowd and it was great just to feed off of their energy."
Strömberg Earns SEC Freshman of the Week Honors
Ole Miss freshman Isac Strömberg was recognized by the Southeastern Conference on Wednesday after being named SEC Freshman of the Week. Strömberg received the honor after finishing a perfect 3-0 in singles play last week for the Rebels, increasing his singles win streak up to four straight match wins for the Stockholm, Sweden, native. Strömberg started his week by earning back-to-back straight-set victories for the Rebels against Alabama State playing in the No. 5 singles position, marking his first time moving up from his usual No. 6 singles spot. The freshman then went on to earn a match-clinching singles win against No. 68 SMU in Court 6 singles, helping the Rebels move to 7-2 on the year and earning the team its first ranked team win of 2023.
Rolling into SEC Play
The Rebels' match against Mississippi State on Saturday marked the first of 12 conference matchups for the squad in 2023, with six of those fixtures set to be played in Oxford. Following the team's non conference finale on Monday against Belmont, the Rebels will hit the road to Fayetteville before returning home March 16 to host Florida. This will then open up a three-match road spell for the team before the Rebels return to Oxford for four straight home matches, ending with Senior Day on April 9 against Texas A&M. The Rebels will then wrap up their regular season with two difficult road matchups against Tennessee and Georgia before heading into postseason play.
Team Profile: Belmont
Belmont (6-2, 0-0 Horizon) enters their matchup with the Rebels having just dropped out of the ITA Top 75 following back-to-back losses to Vanderbilt and No. 23 Louisville. Despite this, the Bruins still pose a challenge to the Ole Miss squad having started their season a perfect 5-0. Belmont is led by Marko Ilic, who serves as the team's No. 1 singles player as well as half of the No. 1 doubles pairing for the Bruins alongside Riccardo Trione. Ilic currently holds a record of 5-3 in dual singles play, as well as going 6-1 with Trione in No. 1 doubles, and is just two years removed from his being named Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year prior to Belmont's move to the Horizon League.
Follow the Rebels on Social
For more information on Ole Miss Men's Tennis, follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissMTennis, on Facebook at OleMissMTennis and on Instagram at OleMissMTennis, follow Coach Hansson on Twitter at @TennisToby.
Players Mentioned
