Pepperdine University
The Malibu Showdown
Waves Host The Malibu Showdown in Fall Season Debut
9/21/2023 9:41:00 AM | Men's Tennis
MALIBU, Calif. — For the first time since the 2017-18 season, the Pepperdine men's tennis team's fall slate will start at home, as the Waves host The Malibu Showdown on Sept. 22-24.Â
The #29 Waves will host a loaded field of Kentucky, Louisville and Michigan in the team's first hidden dual of the fall season. All four teams made the NCAA Tournament last season, while Michigan and Kentucky reached the quarterfinals. Additionally, all three teams were in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's final rankings last season: Kentucky and Michigan were No. 5 and 6, respectively, while Louisville was No. 34.
Pepperdine's first match will be against Michigan on Friday at 10 a.m. PT, then the Waves will take on Kentucky on Saturday at 10 a.m. before wrapping up the event against Louisville on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Live stats will be provided through PlaySight and the duals will be broadcasted via Cracked Racquets' YouTube channel. All pertinent links will be posted on the men's tennis schedule page on pepperdinewaves.com.
Admission is free to the public on all three days. Prior to Sunday's match against Louisville, Pepperdine will hold a family fair with games, face painting, prizes and more.
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SCHEDULE
All matches will be played out. Times listed are Pacific.
Friday, Sept. 22Â
10 a.m. Pepperdine vs. Michigan
2 p.m. Kentucky vs. LouisvilleÂ
Saturday, Sept. 23
10 a.m. Pepperdine vs. Kentucky
2 p.m. Louisville vs. Michigan
Sunday, Sept. 24
9 a.m. Michigan vs. Kentucky
1 p.m. Pepperdine vs. Louisville
SCOUTING THE WAVES
The 2023-24 Pepperdine men's tennis team features a healthy mix of returners from last season's 19-9 campaign, plus an intriguing group of newcomers.
Upperclassmen Pietro Fellin and Robert Shelton are Pepperdine's two returning veterans — both of whom were instrumental in the Waves' WCC Tournament title run from a year ago. A fifth-year senior, Fellin has been a mainstay in Pepperdine's recent resurgence under head coach Adam Schaechterle, while Shelton made his mark late in the season by clinching twice against Santa Clara in the regular-season finale and in the WCC Tournament semifinals.
All-West Coast Conference honorable mention singles selection Maxi Homberg and Linus Carlsson Halldin were underclassmen on Pepperdine's 19-9 squad last year; both look to have bigger roles on this year's team. Homberg, in particular, led the team with a 24-9 overall singles record while playing mostly on the fourth and fifth lines.
So far, Pepperdine has four newcomers — two graduate transfers and two freshmen — on the roster. George Davis, a standout at William & Mary, was a first-team All-CAA singles and doubles selection as a senior. Tyler Davis (no relation) moves up the coast from Point Loma Nazarene University, where he was a first-team all-conference selection in singles and doubles last year, plus was ranked #43 in the final Intercollegiate Tennis Association Division II doubles poll with teammate Alexander Leischner.
This weekend marks the debut of freshman Edward Winter: the highest-ranked recruit in the Schaechterle era who was also fifth on the ITA's Newcomer/Freshman rankings. Cyprus native Photos Photiades rounds out the true freshmen on the roster so far.
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SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Saying The Malibu Showdown has a loaded field might be an understatement.
Kentucky, Louisville and Michigan were all ranked in the ITA preseason rankings, while #5 Kentucky and #6 Michigan made the top 10. All told, the three teams boast five nationally ranked singles players and four ranked doubles teams combined.
Individually, Louisville fifth-year senior Etienne Donnet is the highest-ranked singles player at No. 24. The Frenchman posted a 26-9 overall record while playing on the second line for the Cardinals last year, plus he earned an at-large berth to the NCAA Singles Tournament. He'll be joined by #42 Nathan Rodrigues, who is one-half of the nation's No. 27 doubles team with teammate Matthew Fung.Â
Although Michigan lost NCAA Singles Runner-Up Ondrej Styler and veteran Andrew Fenty in the offseason, first-year head coach Sean Maymi's squad brings back #31 Gavin Young and #85 Will Cooksey, plus a top-25 doubles team in #24 Nino Ehrenschneider/Young. The Wolverines kicked off their fall campaign at the B1G/SEC Challenge on Sept. 15-17, where senior Jacob Bickerseth led all Michigan singles players by winning two of his three matches.
While Kentucky has one nationally ranked singles player in #94 Taha Baadi, the Wildcats have depth in doubles play with #41 Taha Baadi/Charelie Cosnet and #50 JJ Mercer/Jaden Weekes. Last season, the Wildcats fell to eventual national champion Virginia in the quarterfinals.
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LOOKING AHEAD
From here, the Waves will travel to Tulsa, Okla. for the ITA All-American tournament, hosted by the University of Tulsa from Sept. 30-Oct. 8. Pepperdine will return to Malibu to host the ITA Southwest Regional on Oct. 19-22 before wrapping up the fall season at the ITA Fall Championships in San Diego from Nov. 1-5.
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Players Mentioned
