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Published May 2, 2025
MSU men's tennis returns to the NCAA Tournament, set to play North Alabama
Tessa Cosco  •  Spartans Illustrated
Staff Writer

Michigan State men's tennis is returning for their second consecutive year - and third time in program history - to the NCAA Tournament, after a strong Big Ten season and impressive run in the conference tournament.

The tournament kicks off today, May 2, with Michigan State set to face North Alabama in the first round. The Spartans are working towards a deep run towards the championship, hoping to travel to Waco, Texas for the final rounds.

MSU’s first tournament appearance came in 2013 when the Spartans’ current head coach Harry Jadun was a sophomore student-athlete. As head coach, Jadun has succeeded in marking important milestones, including earning back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances, achieving most team wins in program history with 23 victories last season, and leading Max Sheldon and Ozan Baris to a win in the ITA Fall National Championship for doubles.

Michigan State finished its 2025 season with a strong 16-9 overall record and a 10-3 conference record, one of the program’s best conference finishes in recent years. MSU ended the season as a three seed in the Big Ten Tournament and lost in the semifinals to UCLA.

The Spartans are looking to a mix of veteran leadership and young and rising talent to drive their momentum.

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Junior Ozan Baris is a standout player for Michigan State, finishing the season with a 9-9 record and becoming the face of the program as he continues to set Spartan records. Baris was the first player for MSU to reach three straight NCAA Championships and the first Spartan to reach the NCAA Championships in both singles and doubles in back-to-back years last season.

This past season he was able to capture the ITA Midwest Regional Single Champion title, which was another first for the Spartans program. Along the way, Baris picked up a Big Ten co-player of the week honor as well.

MSU will look to Baris as a key player for them in the NCAA tournament with his immense experience in the deep rounds and his passion and energy for the game that keeps him hungry for the national title.

Baris’s leadership is a valuable asset to the Spartans team, but young and rising talent has shown through in freshman Matthew Forbes, who finished his first collegiate season with a 12-5 record overall. Forbes's maturity has been tested throughout the season and was displayed in his Big Ten Tournament performance.

Forbes was named Big Ten All-Tournament Team after finishing 2-0 and clinching a critical match against USC. Forbes' performance highlighted his ability to deliver under pressure, making him a key player the Spartans will turn to in the NCAA Tournament.

Together, the two work as a crucial doubles pair for MSU, as their chemistry on the court complements each other’s style of play, making them an intimidating duo.

MSU’s first-round opponent, North Alabama, is having a record-setting season as well with an overall record of 19-3, marking the most single-season wins for the program since 1988. This is their first automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament in program history.

The Lions have young talent leading the way. Sophomore Alberto Altur finished the season with a 15-1 record, while freshman Satoru Nakajima finished with a 15-2 season record. Altur was selected as the Atlantic Sun Conference men’s tennis player of the week and both players have brought consistency and quickness to their roster.

Despite the strength of North Alabama’s season, the Spartans are entering the matchup with confidence.

A win on Friday would place MSU in the second round to face the winner of Mississippi State versus New Orleans on Saturday, May 3. With strong leadership and young talent, the Spartans are aiming to make a statement with a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.

The Spartans start their tournament run at 11 a.m. ET in their opening-round match-up. Fans can follow the tournament action live from Starkville with "Watch Live" and "Live Results" links available at MSUSpartans.com.

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MichiganState
FOOTBALL
Scores / Schedule
footballfootball
30 - 7
Overall Record
17 - 3
Conference Record
2024 schedule not available.
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