Sumter, S.C.----The top-seeded and 11th-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs claimed their second consecutive SAC Tournament title Saturday, prevailing 4-2 over second-seeded and 31st-ranked Catawba College at the Palmetto Tennis Center in the championship match of the 2024 South Atlantic Conference men's tennis tournament. Wingate junior Federico Spinetta was named the SAC Tournament Most Valuable Player. Spinetta clinched Saturday's match with his victory at six singles.

Wingate improves to 17-5 overall, while Catawba falls to 14-7 overall. The victory gives the Bulldogs seven SAC Tournament championships all-time, along with 11 regular season titles. The 'Dogs have won four of the last six SAC Tournament titles, while collecting 17 total league championships over the pasat 14 seasons. Wingate receives an automatic qualification to the NCAA Division II men's tennis championships with Saturday's triumph. Catawba will wait for word on a potential at-large bid.

DOUBLES

- Gabriel Constantino and Edis Nokic claimed a 6-3 victory at one doubles
- Carlo Rosellini and Petar Basic Palkovic earned a hard-fought 7-5 win at three doubles
- The Bulldogs led 5-4 at two doubles when play was halted
- Wingate took a 1-0 advantage into singles play

SINGLES

- Florian Walcher rolled to a 6-0, 6-1 win at three singles
- Catawba won the two singles flight to cut its deficit to 2-1
- Constantino took down the SAC Player of the Year 6-1, 7-5 at one singles
- Catawba earned a three-set win at five singles for its last point
- Spinetta rallied for 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 six singles victory to clinch the match
- Hugo Nossler was involved in a three-set battle at four singles when the match was halted
- Nossler won the first set 6-3 and lost the second 7-5
- The third set at four singles was knotted 2-2 when the match was clinched 

UP NEXT

- The NCAA Division II  men's tennis bracket will be revealed in early May
- Preliminary-round tournaments are held May 13-14 at campus sites
- The D2 finals are May 21-25 at Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs, Florida