University of Tennessee Athletics
Friday, January 23
Raleigh, NC
3:30 p.m. ET
University of Tennessee
vs
Texas A&M
Men’s Tennis Central: ITA Kickoff Weekend
January 22, 2026 | Men's Tennis
Tennessee Men's Tennis goes on the road for the first time this year to participate in the ITA Kickoff Weekend in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Jan. 23-24. Tennessee, seeded second, will join Texas A&M and Duke in participating in NC State's region at the J.W. Isenhour Tennis Center.
The Vols will open the weekend on Friday at 3:30 p.m. ET against No. 11 Texas A&M in a match that does not count toward conference play. Depending on the result of that clash, UT will play either No. 9 NC State or No. 18 Duke on Saturday.
The ITA Kickoff Weekend, which is held annually near the beginning of the dual season, features 56 NCAA Division I teams from across the country. The 56 teams and 14 regions are based on the previous season's final rankings, and four teams are selected for each region. The winner of each region will advance to the ITA Indoor National Championships, with SMU and Baylor jointly hosting on their campuses this year on Feb. 13-17.
The Big Orange (2-2) has compiled a 24-8 all-time record at the ITA Kickoff Weekend since the event began in 2009. Tennessee has had recent success there, reaching the ITA National Indoor Championships in four of the past five seasons and advancing to the final in 2022.
Last season, Tennessee went 1-1 during the ITA Kickoff Weekend. UT moved on to the second round of the Knoxville regional after a 4-2 win against Illinois, but it fell just short of advancing after losing to No. 25 Michigan, 4-1.
The live stats link for the match on day one can be found HERE, and the live stream from day one is linked HERE.
SCHEDULE
Friday, Jan. 23
11:30 a.m. - #9 NC State vs. #18 Duke
3:30 p.m. - #11 Texas A&M vs. Tennessee
Saturday, Jan. 24
Consolation Match – Winner of Match 1 vs. Winner of Match 2 – 11:30 a.m. ET
Championship Match – Loser of Match 1 vs. Loser of Match 2 – 3:30 p.m. ET
SCOUTING TEXAS A&M
The Aggies have opened their season at 3-0 after besting UTSA, UTA and Elon. The SEC program has risen in the rankings two spots after being ranked No. 13 in the preseason. Texas A&M is the third-highest SEC team on the ITA rankings list, sitting behind only Texas and Mississippi State.
A&M has two players on the singles rankings list and two tandems on the doubles list as well.
SCOUTING NC STATE
The hosts for the weekend have started out the season with an undefeated streak of their own by winning four-straight. The Wolfpack was able to beat Campbell twice, as well as Michigan and UNC Greensboro, to start the season. Tennessee leads the all-time series against NC State with a record of 7-1.
The Wolfpack program boasts two players ranked in the top 100 in singles, including the No. 9 ranked player in the country in Martin Borisiouk.
SCOUTING DUKE
Duke is looking to get a rematch against Tennessee after the Vols knocked them out of the NCAA Tournament last year with a 4-3 comeback win in the second round.
The Blue Devils have yet to drop a match, claiming 4-0 wins against Elon, JMU and NC Central.
VOLS IN THE RANKINGS
Singles
#121 – Alejandro Moreno
AGGIES IN THE RANKINGS
Singles
#73 – Alexander Frusina
#112 – Khololwam Montsi
Doubles
#29 – Khololwam Montsi/Alexander Frusina
#81 – Togan Tokac/Tiago Pires
THE WOLFPACK IN THE RANKINGS
Singles
#9 – Martin Borisiouk
#85 – William Manning
MO IS ON FIRE
Senior Alejandro Moreno has really found his groove this season, taking down the No. 12-ranked player in Wake Forest's DK Suresh and winning the first set against the No. 6 Duncan Chan. Moreno is still perfect in singles after competing on courts one and two in the first four matches.
FROM DII TO DI
Transfer Boruch Skierkier has shown why he belongs in DI after the first few matches for Tennessee. The DII National Champion has come in as a pivotal part for the Big Orange, posting a 2-1 record from the six in singles and playing at the two in doubles with Jose Garcia. Skierkier looks to continue to show his talent at the DI level.
UP NEXT
After the ITA Kickoff Weekend, UT will host its second doubleheader of the year on Jan. 29. In the first match, the Vols will face of against Bellarmine at 1 p.m. They'll return to action at 5 p.m. vs. Eastern Kentucky. Both matches will take place at the Goodfriend Tennis Center.
For the most up-to-date information about the program, follow Tennessee men's tennis on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook.
The Vols will open the weekend on Friday at 3:30 p.m. ET against No. 11 Texas A&M in a match that does not count toward conference play. Depending on the result of that clash, UT will play either No. 9 NC State or No. 18 Duke on Saturday.
The ITA Kickoff Weekend, which is held annually near the beginning of the dual season, features 56 NCAA Division I teams from across the country. The 56 teams and 14 regions are based on the previous season's final rankings, and four teams are selected for each region. The winner of each region will advance to the ITA Indoor National Championships, with SMU and Baylor jointly hosting on their campuses this year on Feb. 13-17.
The Big Orange (2-2) has compiled a 24-8 all-time record at the ITA Kickoff Weekend since the event began in 2009. Tennessee has had recent success there, reaching the ITA National Indoor Championships in four of the past five seasons and advancing to the final in 2022.
Last season, Tennessee went 1-1 during the ITA Kickoff Weekend. UT moved on to the second round of the Knoxville regional after a 4-2 win against Illinois, but it fell just short of advancing after losing to No. 25 Michigan, 4-1.
The live stats link for the match on day one can be found HERE, and the live stream from day one is linked HERE.
SCHEDULE
Friday, Jan. 23
11:30 a.m. - #9 NC State vs. #18 Duke
3:30 p.m. - #11 Texas A&M vs. Tennessee
Saturday, Jan. 24
Consolation Match – Winner of Match 1 vs. Winner of Match 2 – 11:30 a.m. ET
Championship Match – Loser of Match 1 vs. Loser of Match 2 – 3:30 p.m. ET
SCOUTING TEXAS A&M
The Aggies have opened their season at 3-0 after besting UTSA, UTA and Elon. The SEC program has risen in the rankings two spots after being ranked No. 13 in the preseason. Texas A&M is the third-highest SEC team on the ITA rankings list, sitting behind only Texas and Mississippi State.
A&M has two players on the singles rankings list and two tandems on the doubles list as well.
SCOUTING NC STATE
The hosts for the weekend have started out the season with an undefeated streak of their own by winning four-straight. The Wolfpack was able to beat Campbell twice, as well as Michigan and UNC Greensboro, to start the season. Tennessee leads the all-time series against NC State with a record of 7-1.
The Wolfpack program boasts two players ranked in the top 100 in singles, including the No. 9 ranked player in the country in Martin Borisiouk.
SCOUTING DUKE
Duke is looking to get a rematch against Tennessee after the Vols knocked them out of the NCAA Tournament last year with a 4-3 comeback win in the second round.
The Blue Devils have yet to drop a match, claiming 4-0 wins against Elon, JMU and NC Central.
VOLS IN THE RANKINGS
Singles
#121 – Alejandro Moreno
AGGIES IN THE RANKINGS
Singles
#73 – Alexander Frusina
#112 – Khololwam Montsi
Doubles
#29 – Khololwam Montsi/Alexander Frusina
#81 – Togan Tokac/Tiago Pires
THE WOLFPACK IN THE RANKINGS
Singles
#9 – Martin Borisiouk
#85 – William Manning
MO IS ON FIRE
Senior Alejandro Moreno has really found his groove this season, taking down the No. 12-ranked player in Wake Forest's DK Suresh and winning the first set against the No. 6 Duncan Chan. Moreno is still perfect in singles after competing on courts one and two in the first four matches.
FROM DII TO DI
Transfer Boruch Skierkier has shown why he belongs in DI after the first few matches for Tennessee. The DII National Champion has come in as a pivotal part for the Big Orange, posting a 2-1 record from the six in singles and playing at the two in doubles with Jose Garcia. Skierkier looks to continue to show his talent at the DI level.
UP NEXT
After the ITA Kickoff Weekend, UT will host its second doubleheader of the year on Jan. 29. In the first match, the Vols will face of against Bellarmine at 1 p.m. They'll return to action at 5 p.m. vs. Eastern Kentucky. Both matches will take place at the Goodfriend Tennis Center.
For the most up-to-date information about the program, follow Tennessee men's tennis on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook.
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