SAINT LEO, Fla. – The Sunshine State Conference (SSC) announced the 2021 Men's Tennis Championship Tournament naming Saint Leo, who is ranked third nationally, the second seed. The tournament's first round is set to begin on Thursday, April 22. The championship and third-place matches are slated for Sunday, April 25th. All tournament matches will be played at campus sites. Saint Leo closed the regular season with a 7-1 overall record, 6-1 in the SSC to draw hosting rights as the tournament's second seed. The Green and Gold will welcome third seed Lynn, who is ranked ninth nationally, for a 3 p.m. match in the Saint Leo Tennis Center. Meanwhile, first seed Barry will host fourth seed Embry-Riddle, starting at 2 p.m.
 
Saint Leo Statistics Following the Regular Season
Bruno Faletto has manned the singles first flight capturing a 4-3 record while Nicolas Bacella recorded a 4-1 record in the second flight. Aurel Ciocanu has had a tremendous senior campaign earning a 6-1 third flight record along with a win in the first flight. Alexander Parker has put on a show in the fourth flight compiling a 7-0 season record.
 
In doubles action, the Lions have together earned a 19-5 record paced by Parker and Christopher Traut with a first flight 7-0 mark. The dynamic duo enters the postseason undefeated as they opened the 2021 campaign with a win in the second flight.
 
Lynn's Season Stat Leaders
The Fighting Knights posted a 6-2 overall record, 5-2 in the SSC. Saint Leo and Barry were the only two programs to hand Lynn a loss.
 
Nationally Ranked Among the Lineups (4.20.21)
Saint Leo
Singles:
No. 13 Bruno Faletto
No. 18 Nicolas Bacella
No. 21 Aurel Ciocanu
Doubles:
No. 3 Alex Parker and Christopher Traut
No. 15 Willem Van Den Akker and Aurel Ciocanu
 
Lynn
Singles:
No. 11 Joao Ferreira
No. 17 Carolos Gomez
 
Last Meeting Between the Lions and the Fighting Knights
The programs last met on March 22 in the Saint Leo Tennis Center. The third-ranked Saint Leo Lions hauled in a 5-2 win over the then 10^th ranked Fighting Knights. The decision preserved the Green and Gold's perfect season start at 3-0 while handing Lynn its first loss of the season.

Saint Leo captured the early point with victories at first and second doubles. Each set of doubles partners wrapped up their matches around the same time and each handed in a 6-2 win. Heading into singles action up 1-0, the Lions posted a pair of three-set victories during multiple tie breaking battles. Traut rolled through his fifth singles match, 6-1, 6-0. Meanwhile, Parker won his first set tiebreaker and stayed focused to take the second match, 7-5, 6-4. With three team match points in hand, Ciocanu, the SSC Player of the Week, clinched the match for the Lions. The senior outlasted third singles foe, Lucca Baptista; 6-2, 4-6, 6-3. Bacella put the icing on the cake with the second singles match point; 6-7(3), 7-5, 7-5.

During the last SSC tournament in 2019, the third seed Lions fell to the second seed Fighting Knights, 4-1.

Berryhill, the Lions, and a Whole Lot of Wins
In his five years at the helm, Coach Berryhill has led the Lions to a conference tournament every season, excluding the 2020 campaign that was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
Saint Leo Tennis Awards and Honors Under the Direction of Coach Berryhill:
NCAA

• 3x NCAA Appearances (2017, 2018, 2019)
• Indoor Championship Appearance (2020)

ITA Honors

• Team National Ranking (Year-End): No. 4 (2020), No. 12 (2019), No. 3 (2018)
• Team South Regional Ranking (Year-End): No. 5 (2019), No. 2 (2018)
• 6x All-Americans (2019, 2018, 2017)
• National Rookie of the Year (2019)
• National Senior Player of the Year (2018)
• National Player to Watch (2017)
• South Region Player to Watch (2017)
• South Region Senior Player of the Year (2018)
• South Region Most Improved Senior (2019)
• South Region Rookie of the Year (2019)
• South Region Rookie of the Year (2017)
• ITA South Region Singles Champion (2017)
• 1x National Ranking (Singles)
• 1x National Ranking (Doubles)
• 7x South Region Ranking (Singles)
• 4x South Region Ranking (Doubles)
• All-Star Team Member (2018)
• 24x All-Academic Award Winners

SSC Honors

• Regular Season Champions (2019)
• Freshman of the Year (2019)
• Player of the Year (2018)
• 6x All-SSC First Team (Singles)
• 4x All-SSC Second Team (Singles)
• 2x All-SSC First Team (Doubles)
• 2x All-SSC Second Team (Doubles)

Coaching Honors

• United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) Coach of the Year for the Florida Division (2019)
• ITA South Region Coach of the Year (2018)
• All-SSC Women's Tennis Coach of the Year (2018)
• All-SSC Men's Tennis Coach of the Year (2018)

 
SSC Championship Recent History

REGULAR-SEASON CHAMPIONS
2021: Barry
2020: Not awarded due to COVID-19
2019: Barry
2018: Saint Leo
2017: Barry
2016: Saint Leo
2015: Barry
2014: Barry
*SSC began naming regular-season tennis champions in 2014

REGULAR-SEASON CHAMPIONSHIPS BY SCHOOL
Barry - 5
Saint Leo - 2

TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS
2020: Tournament canceled due to COVID-19
2019: Barry
2018: Barry
2017: Barry
2016: Saint Leo
2015: Barry
2014: Barry
 
For the latest news, updates, and information on the Saint Leo men's tennis team, be sure to visit SaintLeoLions.com. Fans can also stay up-to-date on the latest Lions news by following Saint Leo Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
 
Keeping Our Lions Healthy & Safe
Saint Leo University Athletics is keeping our student-athletes healthy and safe by following a number of measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This includes having student-athletes tested or screened on a regular basis, traveling in smaller groups, holding competitions without fans in attendance, avoiding overnight trips, and wearing masks when not competing. These safety standards meet those set by the NCAA Division II and the Sunshine State Conference President's Council. At Saint Leo University, the COVID-19 Incident Command Team also reviews the teams' safety protocol and monitors adherence on a regular basis.