Alabama State Tennis Headed to NCAA Tournament
Both the Alabama State men’s and women’s tennis teams have earned spots in the NCAA Tournament.
The squads automatically qualified for the tournament by winning the Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament in New Orleans.
On Monday night, players, coaches and supporters gathered at ASU Stadium to watch the 2024 NCAA Selection Show. The men will head to Starkville, MS, to face No. 16 Mississippi State, while the women will face No. 7 Georgia in Athens, GA.
Alabama State Men’s Tennis
The ASU men’s tennis team won the SWAC Tournament on April 29, defeating Jackson State 4-0. Senior Kristofer Johnson earned the tournament MVP award, while three other Hornets made the All-Tournament Team: David Jeanne Grandinot, Alexandre Verlaguet, and Sam Bajracharya.
Johnson said the Hornets felt confident they would win the tournament going in. At the same time, it’s a big honor to win for the third straight year.
“My freshman year, we lost to Alabama A&M,” he said, “and to make it the last three years, especially my senior year, it’s been special.”
Johnson and the Hornets now prepare to face Mississippi State in Starkville for the second straight year.
“We have had success against them individually in the regionals and individually,” Alabama State tennis head coach Anuke Christiansz said. “But their team is deep. They’re in the SEC, they compete at a higher level. But my boys are just as relentless, and they fight. So it’s going to be a good battle.”
The Hornets will play Mississippi State Friday at 1 p.m.
Alabama State Women’s Tennis
Meanwhile, the Hornet women’s path to the SWAC Championship came with more drama.
Christiansz said he told Sahra Bouchaala on Senior Day that he thought the SWAC title would come down to her match. It certainly did.
“It came down to the last set,” Christiansz said. “And I’ll tell you, it’s been one of my best, most memorable matches in women’s tennis I’ve been a part of.”
Bouchaala’s win led Alabama State to a 4-3 victory over Florida A&M for the Hornets’ first tournament title since 2021. She recieved the SWAC Tournament MVP award.
Now the senior said she feels excited for her first NCAA Tournament.
“I think a lot of players like us are fighting,” she said, “and they don’t get the chance to play in nationals so I honestly feel very grateful to play and can’t wait to play against Georgia.”
The first serve versus Georgia will fly Friday at 1 p.m.
