Gainesville, Fla. — The Stetson men's tennis team wrapped up play at the 2025 ITA Division I Men's Southeast Regional Championships on Friday at the University of Florida, highlighted by strong performances from Christian Kuehne and Alexandre Verlaguet in main draw singles play.
Verlaguet impressed in his main draw debut, defeating Kennesaw State University's Anthony Weingarten 6-2, 6-1 to open the tournament before falling to University of Florida's Jeremy Jin 7-5, 6-3. Kuehne continued his solid run, earning a straight-sets victory over University of Central Florida's Luca Hotze, 6-4, 6-1, to highlight the final day of competition.
In doubles play, the Hatters picked up two wins in the round of 64. Verlaguet and Kartik Mandla teamed up to defeat University of Central Florida's Luca Hotze and Nicolas Oliveira 8-2, while the duo of Kuehne and Mihnea Maftei earned an 8-4 victory over Kennesaw State University's Dominic Ducariu and Kyvan Rietkerk. Santiago Padilla Cote and Xavier Sarda Marti also competed well, narrowly falling 8-5 to University of South Florida's Stepan Mruzek and Agustin Cuellar.
Both winning pairs were later eliminated in the round of 32, as Verlaguet and Mandla fell 8-3 to Florida State University's Jan Sebesta and Justin Lyons, and Kuehne and Maftei dropped an 8-2 decision to Florida State's Azariah Rusher and Mohammad Alkotop.
Head Coach Christophe Noblet praised his team's growth and competitiveness throughout the week, saying, "We had a solid comeback win in singles and a tough loss in our other singles match. This tournament tests you physically, mentally, and emotionally. Being able to play and compete hard consistently during a tough Regionals tournament reveals so much more than wins and losses. It also serves as a great test for mental toughness. Overall, there were some solid foundational things we made improvement on during this tournament and other things we'll get stronger at."
The Hatters will return to action Oct. 24–26 at the UNF Fall Tournament in Jacksonville, Florida.
About Stetson Athletics
At Stetson University, student-athletes don't just compete—they thrive. Located in historic DeLand, Florida, between Orlando and Daytona Beach, Stetson offers the perfect blend of competitive athletics, academic excellence, and an unbeatable Central Florida lifestyle. As the oldest private university in the region, Stetson supports approximately 500 student-athletes across 19 NCAA Division I sports. Nicknamed the "Hatters" after the institution's namesake John B. Stetson, a hat manufacturer who originated the modern-day cowboy hat, most Stetson athletic teams compete in the Atlantic Sun Conference, where they proudly hold the longest active membership since 1985. With top-tier facilities, personalized support, and a welcoming campus community, Stetson is where students can grow, compete, and succeed. Learn more at GoHatters.com or follow social media accounts @StetsonHatters.
