The Tulane men’s tennis team will head to Orlando, Florida this weekend to defend its title as the American Athletic Conference champion, the first team victory at an AAC championship in school history. The reigning crown holders will have much to prove at this tournament after a turbulent season.

The 2018-19 season got off to a strong start for the Green Wave, with four straight wins and a ticket to the Intercollegiate Tennis Association National Indoor Championships. This was followed by a 10-game string of losses that can best be described as a series of unfortunate events.

In March, however, the team turned the tide and has since conquered 10 of its last 11 opponents, delivering an overall record of 14-11 for the regular season. This impressive rebound has earned Tulane the No. 2 seed heading into the competition.

Despite the loss of Constantin Schmitz, a key player in last year’s victory, Tulane boasts an impressive roster this season. In the latest Oracle/ITA Division I Men’s Rankings, junior Ewan Moore moved up to No. 65, accompanied by teammate and junior Luis Erlenbusch who sits at No. 93. Additionally, for the second consecutive week, sophomore Hamish Stewart was named the AAC player of the week.

As a team, the Green Wave’s ranking increased to No. 39 in the country, offering a morale boost right before the upcoming championship.

Though Tulane’s toughest competition last season was the University of Southern Florida, this year it appears that role will be filled by the University of Central Florida. With a 13-9 record and No. 28 national ranking, it is unsurprising the Knights secured the No. 1 seed for the tournament.

Being the No. 2 seed, the Green Wave will be able to rest up on Thursday before facing its first opponent on Friday. For this match, Tulane will take on the winner of Thursday’s battle between No. 7 Temple University and No. 10 University of Connecticut.

The Wave will advance to the semifinals on Saturday if it is victorious in this contest. Tulane will not take on UCF until the final round on Sunday, should both teams advance that far.

The tournament will likely feature an exciting display of competition, and fans can watch live online at the United States Tennis Association National Campus website.