OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – This Friday, West Florida's Men's Tennis team will kick off their second trip to the ITA National Team Indoor Championship when they face off against fellow Gulf South Conference foe and the #19 team in the country, Delta State at 11:15 AM.

Hosted by Midwestern State University, all the matches will be played from the Oklahoma City Tennis Center in what will be a weekend full of premier Division II Men's Tennis.

The Teams: In a typical season this indoor championship would feature the top seven teams from around the nation, however, due to different conference's Covid-19 protocols this year's field features a broader selection from the top 25 of the nation.  

#1 Columbus State University (1 Seed): The Cougars come to Oklahoma City ranked as the number one team in the country and currently hold a perfect 2-0 record on the young 2021 season. As one of the powerhouses in Division II Men's Tennis, the Cougars were National Runners-Up in 2019 and were off to a 9-0 start in 2020 before the season came to a close. Columbus State is also the reigning champion of the Indoor Championship defeating St. Leo, Hawaii Pacific, and Barry each 4-0 in last year's competition.

#3 University of West Florida (2 Seed): West Florida is back in the ITA National Team Indoor after going 1-2 in last year's competition including a win over #4 Wingate. The Argonauts who finished last season 9-3 are off to another great start to this season going 3-0 to start their year with all of their wins coming on the road against conference opponents.

#7 Drury University (3 Seed): Drury will be making their first appearance in the ITA Indoor Championship this weekend after rising up the rankings last season. Before the cancelation of the season, the Panthers had compiled a perfect 10-0 record and were playing a very high level of tennis. This season has Drury off to another strong start as they currently sit 3-1 with ambitions to make a splash in their first action at this championship.

#9 Flagler (4 Seed): Flagler is another team who will be making their second appearance in this national tournament as they went 1-2 in last year's competition. The Saint, who finished 7-5 last year, showed flashes of the level of tennis they could play taking down two top 25 teams and competing hard against many top ten teams in the nation as well. This season has the Saints off to a 0-1 start after they dropped their season opener to #15 Valdosta State. Flagler will look to get their season going this weekend with some big wins against strong competition.

#10 University of Indianapolis (5 Seed): Indianapolis is making their first appearance in the ITA National Team Indoor this year after going an undefeated 6-0 last season. The Greyhounds are once again showing why they are in the top ten of the country this season going 4-0 to start the spring season.

#14 Concordia University (Irvine) (6 Seed): As yet another newcomer to the ITA Team Indoor scene, the Eagles will look to continue their perfect 2-0 start this weekend against some of the top competition in the country. Finishing last season with a 10-2 record the Eagles were just hitting their stride before the cancelation of the season. They will look to build on last year's success as well as this year's start to hopefully make a memorable first appearance at this year's championship.

#19 Delta State University (7 Seed): Delta State is another team coming into the weekend undefeated as they currently hold a 3-0 record. Last season the Statesmen were off to a 9-0 start to the year and were climbing up the national rankings before the stoppage. They will look to put their 12-match win streak on the line this weekend when they appear in their first Indoor Team Championship.

#22 Midwestern State University (8 Seed): As the host team, the Mustangs receive an automatic bid to the champion, however, this does not mean they should be taken lightly. Last season saw the Mustangs finish the season 8-7, including finishing their season 4-0 with a win over #13 Southwest Baptist before the end of the season. This weekend will be the first play for Midwestern State on the year so we will see if they will be able to carry lasts year's momentum into this season.

The Draw: Like any typical tournament seeding, the ITA National Team Indoor Championship will pair the highest seeds with the lowest seeds to start the competition.

Day 1 (Friday 2/26):
8:00 AM CT – (3) Flagler College vs. (6) University of Indianapolis
11:15 AM CT – (2) University of West Florida vs. (7) Delta State University
2:30 PM CT – (4) Drury University vs. (5) Concordia University Irvine
5:45 PM CT – (1) Columbus State University vs. (8) Midwestern State University
 
Day 2 (Saturday 2/27):
8:00 AM CT – Loser Match 1 vs. Loser Match 2 (Consolation)
11:15 AM CT – Winner Match 1 vs. Winner Match 2
2:30 PM CT – Loser Match 3 vs. Loser Match 4 (Consolation)
5:45 PM CT – Winner Match 3 vs. Winner Match 4
 
Day 3 (Sunday 2/28):
8:00 AM CT – Loser Match 5 vs. Loser Match 7 (7th Place)
11:15 AM CT – Winner Match 5 vs. Winner Match 7 (5th Place)
2:30 PM CT – Winner Match 6 vs. Winner Match 8 (Championship)
5:45 PM CT – Loser Match 6 vs. Loser Match 8 (3rd Place)
 
Keeping up with the Argos: Live stats for this weekend's championship will be available closer to each game. As always tune into West Florida's Tennis social media pages to stay up to date with scores and recaps. Lastly, follow along with the ITA's social media this weekend as they offer a behind-the-scenes look from the championship.
 
How to Follow the Argos: For complete information on UWF Tennis, follow the team on Twitter and Instagram at @TennisUWF on Twitter and @uwfmenstennis on Instagram.