St. Xavier Tennis Clinches 2026 Coaches Team Tournament Title

St. Xavier's tennis team is celebrating a significant victory at the Lindner Family Tennis Center. Following their triumph in the OHSAA Division I state doubles competition the previous day, they secured the Ohio Tennis Coaches Association Division I team tournament title on May 30, marking the end of a 16-year wait for a team title, the last being in 2009.

In the semifinals, St. Xavier cruised to a 3-0 victory against University School, thanks to impressive performances by singles players Carson Dwyer and Nihal Narisetty, along with the second doubles team of David Ivanov and Gus Demis. This success propelled them into the finals against Olentangy Orange, who earned their spot after a close 3-2 win over St. John's Jesuit.

The championship match saw St. Xavier continue their dominance, finishing off Olentangy Orange with a 3-1 score. Dwyer and Narisetty, fresh off their state doubles win, each won their singles matches decisively, scoring 6-0, 6-1. Although Ivanov and Demis fell in their doubles match, Conor Lynch and Henry Brandt secured the title for St. Xavier with a straight-set victory.

Reflecting on the team's rich history, head coach Joseph Jackson remarked, "I came into this 10 years ago, and I stand on the shoulders of giants who came before me." With this victory, Jackson and his team join the esteemed legacy of St. Xavier tennis.

In the Division II tournament occurring simultaneously, Indian Hill advanced to the finals after defeating Pepper Pike Orange 3-1. Despite strong performances from OHSAA Division II doubles champions Neelan Gandhi and Gareth Kurowski, Bexley ultimately claimed the title by winning three singles matches, marking Indian Hill's third consecutive appearance in the OTCA team tournament finals.