It was a dominant weekend for Florida tennis at the 2026 NCAA Division II Tennis Championships, held at the Surprise Tennis & Racquet Complex in Surprise, Arizona. Florida schools claimed both the men’s and women’s national titles, further cementing the state’s reputation as a powerhouse in collegiate tennis.
Men’s Championship: Flagler Captures First NCAA National Title
The men’s championship match was an all-Florida affair, with Flagler College out of St. Augustine taking on Barry University, located in Miami, in a thrilling 4-3 contest filled with back-and-forth action from start to finish.
Flagler, the No. 4-ranked team in the nation and the No. 6 seed at the tournament, pulled off the upset against a Barry squad that entered the match undefeated on the season, ranked No. 2 in the nation and the No. 1 seed in the tournament. The victory gave Flagler its first NCAA national title in program history, one year after finishing as the runner-up in 2024.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling,” head coach Jonas Piibor said in an official statement released by Flagler Athletics. “All of the credit goes to the team as they deserve to be awarded for the hard work they put in every day. As a coaching staff, we have challenged them about being willing to put in more work and endure more pain in order to achieve this.”
For Barry, the program has had tons of success in recent history. The team won three consecutive national titles from 2021 to 2023, and seven overall, with their first coming in 2010.
Women’s Championship: Nova Southeastern Wins Second Title in Three Seasons
On the women’s side, Nova Southeastern University cemented its legacy with a national championship victory over Catawba College, capturing its second NCAA title and second in the last three seasons.
Photo Courtesy of NSU Athletics
The Sharks entered the tournament as the No. 3 national seed and faced a Catawba team that had just one loss on the season, which came earlier against Nova Southeastern.
“This NCAA National Championship reflects the dedication, discipline, and competitive excellence of our women’s tennis program,” Nova Southeastern President and CEO Harry K. Moon, M.D., said in an official statement released by Nova Southeastern Athletics.
With Florida programs taking home both national titles, the weekend served as a reminder of the depth and talent across the state’s collegiate tennis landscape, and why it’s important to invest in tennis at all levels.