Eagles Claim Titles at Inaugural UTR Sports NJCAA Individuals Championship

ROME, Ga. – Meridian Community College men's and women's tennis wrapped up a strong fall season with an impressive showing at the Inaugural UTR Sports NJCAA Individuals Championship, held in Rome, Ga., from Friday, Oct. 31, through Sunday, Nov. 2.

The Eagles sent five players to compete in the national-level event, which featured men's and women's singles and doubles competition among several programs from across the country. Representing Meridian were Jared Escobar, Daniel Espin, and Ned Simpson in men's singles, and Reine Akombo and Daisi Kukuljan in women's singles.

Akombo and Kukuljan also teamed up for women's doubles, while Escobar and Espin competed in men's doubles. Both MCC doubles teams came away with victories in their exhibition matches, setting a positive tone for the tournament.

In singles play, Simpson and Kukuljan gained valuable experience through the consolation rounds, while Espin advanced to the semifinals of the men's singles bracket. The Eagles capped off the weekend in championship fashion, with Escobar capturing the men's singles title and Akombo claiming the women's singles title, marking a dominant finish to the inaugural UTR Sports event.

The weekend served as a valuable experience for all five players, closing out the fall exhibition schedule on a high note. The Eagles will now turn their focus to the spring season, which begins in February and will mark a historic milestone for the program — hosting home matches for the first time ever at the Wanda McPhail Tennis Courts at the Citizens National Bank Sports Complex.