Men's Tennis | 3/26/2026 7:30:00 AM

WEEKEND PREVIEW 
Heading into the weekend with a record of 4-12, the Saint Francis men's tennis team looks to get back on track as the season enters its closing stretch. On Friday, March 27, the Red Flash will take on NEC foe Mercyhurst at the Westwood Racquet Club in Erie, Pa., at 5 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT  
Saint Francis men's tennis dropped a 6-1 decision to Bucknell on Sunday, with freshman Jonah Ng providing the lone highlight. Ng earned a strong straight-set victory on court three, winning 6-2, 6-3, to secure his 11th win of the season.

OPENING SERVE VS MERCYHURST
With an overall record of 4-5 and a 2-0 mark in conference play, the Lakers were voted to finish seventh out of nine teams in the NEC Preseason Coaches poll. According to ITA rankings, freshman Ruprecht Hellauer leads the team with a total ranking of 28.69.

THE LAST TIME WE MET ON THE COURT 
Last year, the Red Flash lost to the Lakers in a 4-0 defeat at Gorilla House Gym in Altoona, Pennsylvania. The last time Saint Francis men's tennis defeated Mercyhurst was during the 2022 season, when Coach Hovan earned his first win over the Erie-based program, 5-2, in Ebensburg.

HEAD TO HEAD 
In the all-time matchup, Mercyhurst leads, having won three of the last four meetings. Saint Francis has not won a game in Erie, Pennsylvania.

NEXT SERVE 
The Red Flash men's tennis team returns to action Wednesday, April 1, as it hits the road to face the Mountaineers of Mount St.Mary's at the Mount St.Mary's Tennis Courts in Emmitsburg, Maryland. The match is set to begin at 2 p.m.

AT THE HELM 
As head coach, Hovan continues his fifth season in Loretto. Very few words can describe his career other than "successful," as he's helped both the men's and women's teams reach new heights. In 2023-24, he was named NEC Coach of the Year after helping the men reach their second NEC Championship Game. Last season, the women's tennis team made the NEC Championship Game for the first time in program history.

PRESEASON POLL
After finishing 6-13 and placing seventh in conference play, the Saint Francis men's tennis team was selected to finish seventh in the NEC preseason poll, which includes nine teams. Binghamton topped the poll with seven first-place votes, followed by Fairleigh Dickinson at No. 2, which received the remaining two first-place votes.

THE KINGS COURT
Men's tennis sophomore and reigning Rookie of the Year Kevin Titus Suresh has been dominant this 2025-26 season, proving why he has earned the nickname "The King." In the fall, Suresh posted a team-high 10-6 record across six tournaments, positioning himself for a chance to claim his first NEC Singles Championship, which earned him a spot in the ITA Masters in San Diego in early November. So far during the spring, he leads the team with a 19-11 record in singles and a 13-13 record in doubles.

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK 
While the Red Flash retained many key players from last year's quarterfinal team, Coach Hovan and assistant coach Palko added four first-year players: Mario Beckles (Bordentown, N.J./Bordentown Regional), Luke Mitchell (Altoona, Pa./Altoona Area), Jonah Ng (Fairview, Pa./Pennsylvania Cyber), and Deven Pandey (Bethlehem, Pa./Saucon Valley High School).