ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. – Weather and hot temperatures could not stop the Valdosta State men's tennis team from completing back-to-back national titles with a 4-2 win over No. 9 Washburn Saturday afternoon at Sanlando Park. 
 
The Blazers finished the season with a 26-0 record and now has won 42-straight matches dating back to the final 16 victories of 2024.  VSU became the tenth program in NCAA Division II to win back-to-back national titles, while the 26-0 record marked the first undefeated national champion since Barry in a shortened 2021 season and the first full season undefeated champion since Barry in 2015 when the Buccaneers also went 26-0. 
 
VSU improved to 4-3 all-time in the national title match and won its fourth title in men's tennis (2006, 2011, 2024 and 2025), while it marked the tenth national title for the institution with four in men's tennis, four in football, one in softball and one in baseball.  It marked the 56^th national title in Gulf South Conference history as the league won national titles in back-to-back days as West Florida men's golf won the title yesterday.
 
The Blazers opened the match with the same enthusiasm as in the match yesterday as senior Boruch Skierkier and junior Jan Skerbatis made quick work of Moritz Pieper and Pavlos Parson, 6-2, at No. 3 doubles.  Blazer top tandem of seniors Takeshi Taco and Xaveam Van Wijk, ranked No. 5 nationally, upset top-ranked duo of Matthew Earle and Tim Hammes, 6-4, to win the all-important doubles point. 
 
In what should be a national championship match in terms of quality competition, four of six singles matches went to the third set as both teams had stretches of huge momentum throughout.  Taco, ranked No. 2 nationally, blitzed No. 4 Hammes in the first set, 6-1, but Hammes responded with a 6-1 win in the second set.  Taco turned on the gas in the third set with a commanding 6-1 win and a 2-0 lead. 
 
The upset-minded Ichabods (23-4), playing in their first championship match, regained the momentum with a 6-3, 6-3 win by Zino Nahimiak at No. 5 singles over Skerbatis, while WU's No. 8-ranked Vasek Schneider upset No. 3-ranked Skerikier 6-4, 6-4 at No. 2 singles for a 2-2 score.  Moments later, No. 20 Edgar Destouet won 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 over No. 65 Parson for a 3-2 score in favor of the Blazers. 
 
From there, Blazer freshman Julien Doitteau battled back from a 4-6 loss in the first set at No. 6 singles to Earle, for a 6-3 victory in the second set.  Sophomore Jerome Iaconi posted a 6-4 win at No. 4 singles over Tommy Cecchetti, but dropped the second set 6-3 making things very interesting down the stretch.
 
Doitteau jumped out to a 5-2 lead in the decisive third set and Iaconi won the first game of the third set before a two-plus hour weather and lightning delay ensued at 4:13 p.m.  The large contingent of Blazer fans stayed through the rain and lightning and the match resumed at approximately 6:48 p.m. 
 
Out of the stoppage, Cecchetti won leveled the match with Iaconi at 1-1, but Doitteau trailed 15-Love, before rattling off three-straight points for 40-15 and two championship points.  Earle pulled within 40-30, but Doitteau, who earned GSC Freshman of the Year honors this season, watched Earle's shot go long as the Blazers rushed Doitteau to celebrate in the victory. 
 
The ironic part of it was last year's championship came down to the exact same court and the Blazers were on the same end of the court when former Blazer Christian Wedel won in the third set versus Flagler for a 4-3 VSU win.  Wedel trailed 1-2 in the third set of his match and won five of the final six games.  This year, Doitteau outscored Earle 12-5 in the final two sets for the win in arguably his biggest match of his career.
 
Head coach John Hansen won his fourth national title at the helm of the Blazers, as he has coached VSU for over 50 years and will be inducted into the GSC Hall of Fame next Thursday in Pensacola, Fla.  The Blazers have finished one of the best three-year runs in program history with three trips to the national championship site, two national titles and one semifinal appearance.  The Blazers have gone a staggering 73-4 over the last three years and, as mentioned above, won42-straight matches.