SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The UC Santa Barbara Men's Tennis team embarks on its first road trip of the season this weekend, traveling to Boca Raton, Florida, for a pair of matchups against American Athletic Conference opponents. The Gauchos will take on the University of South Florida in a neutral-site battle on Saturday before facing host Florida Atlantic on Sunday.
DETAILS
Match 7
Saturday, Feb. 15 | 8 a.m. (PT)
UC Santa Barbara (5-1) vs. University of South Florida (5-2)
Kimberly V. Strauss Tennis Center | Boca Raton, Fla.
Live Stream
Match 8
Sunday, Feb. 16 | 7 a.m. (PT)
UC Santa Barbara (5-1) vs. Florida Atlantic (1-4)
Kimberly V. Strauss Tennis Center | Boca Raton, Fla.
Live Stream
HISTORY
UCSB has limited history against South Florida, with the first meeting in the 2006-07 season resulting in a 5-2 Gaucho victory. In their most recent matchup during the 2022-23 season, UCSB dominated with a 4-0 sweep. The Bulls enter the weekend with a 5-2 record, coming off a win over Georgia Southern.
Against Florida Atlantic, the Gauchos hold a perfect 3-0 series record. Their last meeting in the 2022-23 season saw UCSB claim a 4-0 shutout victory. Despite a slow start to the season, the young FAU team recently secured its first win, a 4-0 road victory over North Florida.
FALL RECAP
The UC Santa Barbara Men's Tennis team competed in the Battle in the Bay, with Gianluca Brunkow and Dominique Rolland each securing notable victories. Brunkow advanced to the quarterfinals in singles before falling to the fifth seed, while he and Rolland reached the doubles semifinals, where their run ended against the 25th-ranked duo from Cal.
At home, the Gauchos put on an impressive performance at the Fall Tennis Classic, with Diogo Morais winning the singles championship and Charlie Underwood claiming the Flight C title in his debut. Additionally, three doubles teams secured championships: Brunkow and Gustav Theilgaard in Flight A, Conrad Brown and Rolland in Flight B, and Underwood and Matei Gavrea in Flight C.
At the ITA Southwest Regional Championships, Conrad Brown and Dominique Rolland reached the doubles semifinals, while Rolland and Gianluca Brunkow advanced to the singles quarterfinals. Despite strong performances, the Gauchos' runs ended in the semifinals and quarterfinals, respectively.
At the Dennis Rizza Classic, the team achieved strong straight-set victories in singles, with Lucca Liu, Diogo Morais, and Charlie Underwood all winning their opening matches. Matei Gavrea also advanced after a tough match against Arizona.
At the ITA West Sectional Championships, Gianluca Brunkow secured a consolation win after falling to No. 103 Maxi Homberg, while Dominique Rolland was defeated by No. 32 Henry von der Schulenburg. In doubles, Conrad Brown and Rolland fought hard but lost to UC Berkeley in the round of 16.
In the most recent ITA rankings, five Gauchos appear in singles: Gianluca Brunkow (21), Diogo Morais (65), Dominique Rolland (94), Conrad Brown (117), and Lucca Liu (122). Brunkow and Rolland are ranked No. 37 in doubles.
ABOUT THE GAUCHOS
Roster | Schedule
Overall Record: 5-1
Big West: 0-0
Home: 3-1
Away: 0-0
Neutral: 0-0
Against Ranked Opponents: 0-0
ITA Ranking: N/A
Streak: W2
ABOUT THE BULLS
Roster | Schedule | Stats
Overall Record: 5-2
AAC: 0-0
Home: 2-1
Away: 3-1
Neutral: 0-0
Against Ranked Opponents: 0-0
ITA Ranking: N/A
Streak: W2
ABOUT THE OWLS
Roster | Schedule | Stats
Overall Record: 1-4
AAC: 0-0
Home: 0-2
Away: 1-1
Neutral: 0-1
Against Ranked Opponents: 0-0
ITA Ranking: N/A
Streak: W1
UP NEXT
Following their Florida trip, the Gauchos return home for a matchup against Santa Clara University on Saturday, Mar. 1, followed by their Big West opener against Hawai'i on Monday, Mar. 3. Both matches are scheduled for noon at the Arnhold Tennis Center.
