VIDEO | Floridan Walcher Interview

Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University men's tennis season gets underway Thursday afternoon, when the 18th-ranked Bulldogs host Gardner-Webb at 1 p.m. Wingate is coming off a 13-9 season, going 9-3 in league play and advancing to the SAC title match. The 'Dogs were picked second in the preseason SAC poll, with four players earning preseason all-conference honors.

The 2022 season saw the Bulldogs earn their fourth straight NCAA Tournament bid. Wingate has played in the NCAA Tournament in seven of the last 11 seasons. The 'Dogs have piled up nine regular season SAC titles and five SAC Tournament championships over the last 13 seasons, going 121-10 in league play since the start of the 2009 season.

"The Men had a tremendous fall," head coach Derrick Taylor says. "We grew up a lot as we played in both singles and doubles. We had about five guys play some big-time tennis against the top players in the country, so we are extremely excited to carry the momentum into the spring. The expectations are high. We definitely want to win the conference and put ourselves in a position to be one of the host regional sites."

The 'Dogs are loaded with talent, led by reigning SAC Freshman of the Year Florian Walcher. The first team All-SAC honoree went 13-4 at number one singles last season, with a 10-1 mark in league play. Classmate Gabriel Constantino went 15-3 in singles play in his first season at Wingate, going 10-1 in league play while going 7-0 at four singles and 8-2 at five singles. Edis Nokic picked up 12 wins on the season, going 7-4 at four singles and 4-0 at three singles. Luka Brown notched 10 wins, going 7-5 at two singles and 2-1 at one singles.

Walcher, Nokic and Constantino are preseason All-SAC honorees. Constantino is the eight-ranked singles player in the region entering the spring season. Walcher is ranked 11th in the region. Constantino is ranked 46th nationally.

"In order to achieve our goals, we will rely heavily on our depth," Taylor says. "We return Florian Walcher, the SAC Freshmen of the Year, as well as Gabriel Constantino and Edis Nokic, who both had an amazing regional. Edis went three sets with the number one player in the country and Gabriel had a super deep run into the quarterfinals and starts the year nationally ranked in singles."

The 'Dogs have firepower in doubles as well, led by the duo of Walcher and Brown. They are ranked third in the region and 15th in the nation. The duo of Nokic and Constantino earned third team All-SAC doubles accolades.

"In doubles, we start the year with one ranked team in Luka and Florian," Taylor says. "They are ranked 15th in the nation, so they are excited about that but definitely looking for more. This team is humble and hungry for success and I think with this the sky is the limit."

It will once again be a challenging schedule for the Bulldogs, opening the season with Division I opponents in Gardner-Webb and Davidson, then traveling to Belmont Abbey and Mount Olive, then heading to Georgia to face Montevallo and #2 Columbus State before opening league play at Coker March 4. Wingate is back home Sunday, March 5 to host Charleston. The Bulldogs host #3 Flagler on March 12, while traveling to Tusculum April 7 to face the preseason SAC favorites.

WINGATE UNIVERSITY
 
Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a laboratory of difference-making that serves more than 3,400 students in North Carolina. Wingate offers 38 undergraduate majors as well as seven master's and four doctoral degrees. The University is home to the Cannon College of Arts and Sciences; the Levine College of Health Sciences; the Byrum School of Business; the Thayer School of Education and the School of Sport Sciences. 

Wingate is a leader in healthcare education, and nearly one in five Wingate undergraduate students is preparing to be a pharmacist, physician assistant, physical therapist, occupational therapist or nurse. Student-athletes on Wingate's 25 teams compete in NCAA Division II and have brought home the SAC Echols Athletic Excellence Award for 14 years straight. The University's motto is "Faith, Knowledge, Service." View current news and videos at www.wingate.edu.