Michigan Men’s Tennis to Compete in ITA Kick-Off This Weekend

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 25-ranked University of Michigan men's tennis team will compete at the ITA Kick-Off hosted by the University of Tennessee on Saturday and Sunday (Jan. 25-26). The Wolverines take on Auburn in the first match on Saturday (Jan. 25) at 9 a.m., while the host plays Illinois. The consolation match will take place Sunday (Jan. 26) at 10 a.m., with the winners playing for a place in the ITA National Indoor Championship at 1 p.m.

Notes

• At 14 sites this weekend, the No. 1 team at each site will face the No. 4 team, while the No. 2 faces the No. 3. Two matches are guaranteed -- the winners and losers will play the following day. The winning team of each site, along with hosts Baylor and SMU, will be invited to play at the ITA National Team Indoor Championship, Feb. 14-18 in Texas.

• The Wolverines have won the ITA Kick-Off four times, in 2009, 2020, 2023, and 2024. The program has reached the semifinals of the ITA National Indoors twice, in 2023 and 2020.

• This will be the first time Michigan will meet Auburn in the ITA Kick-Off. The Tigers hold a 3-2 lead over the Wolverines in the all-time series but have not met since 1996. The teams last met on March 15, 1996, in Montgomery, Ala., a 4-3 decision that went the way of the Tigers.

• Michigan and Tennessee met last season in Knoxville. The then-ranked No. 6 Volunteers took a 4-3 match from the then-ranked No. 14 Wolverines. All-time, Tennessee leads the series 10-4. The Wolverines own a 70-44-2 record against fellow Big Ten opponent Illinois and have won the last five meetings.

• Patorn Hanchaikul earned the first Big Ten Player of the Week honor of the 2025 spring season last week. Hanchaikul won both his singles and doubles matches in impressive fashion, winning 18 of 20 games. Hanchaikul is ranked No. 113 in the singles rankings with an 18-6 career dual mark.

• Michigan is 1-0 on the season after opening with a 7-0 win over Ball State on Jan. 11, winning all six singles matches and taking the doubles point. The team is ranked No. 25 in the ITA national poll that last came out on Jan. 6.

• Gavin Young's 6-3, 6-0 win at No. 1 singles last week marked his 40th career dual singles victory. He is 40-20 all-time in duals and 76-38 in total matches. Nicholas Steiglehner's 6-2, 6-2 win at No. 6 marked his 20th dual win as he improved to 31-21 overall.

• Michigan will be back in action at the Varsity Tennis Center hosting NC State on Friday (Jan. 31) and Harvard on Sunday (Feb. 2). Admission is free.