Completed Event: Men's Tennis versus Utah on February 28, 2026 , Win , 5, to, 2
M Tennis
vs Utah
W 5-2
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Coro: Success breeds 2020 vision
1/10/2020 9:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis, Women's Tennis, Paul Coro
GCU men, women aim to sweep WAC tennis titles
First, Grand Canyon tennis introduced itself to Division I tennis by claiming a WAC regular-season championship on the men's or women's side for three consecutive seasons.
Then, GCU took more command of the WAC by winning both regular-season titles last season and sending the men's team to its first NCAA tournament appearance.
Now, the Lopes are taking the confidence of winning and planning to only do it better as a WAC favorite on both sides this spring.
"Success breeds success," GCU head coach Greg Prudhomme said. "Even when we have young people, you hope they walk into a winning program feeling like they can win. Before that success happens, what does that new person have to go by? When you come to a team that has done it before, they know it's their time to shine when that conference season or tournament starts."
The programs have laid that accomplished groundwork and ground strokes to be in a position to thrive simultaneously. The women won a WAC regular-season championship for the third time in five years last season and return five of their six tournament participants. The men won the regular-season and postseason conference titles and boast the reigning WAC Player of the Year in senior Lorenzo Fucile.
On the women's side, the senior duo of Celina Buhr and Emilia Occhipinti come off All-WAC honors to head a lineup that has been bolstered by the additions of freshman Natasha Puehse of Scottsdale, Arizona, and Southern Utah transfer Jana Weiss. Juniors Ludovica Infantino, Martina Lo Pumo and Autum Prudhomme also return to a lineup that will open the spring schedule at home Tuesday against No. 5 Duke.
"It's an awkward feeling," Buhr said of her senior season. "I'm feeling sad that it's at the end of our last year but I'm also happy that we have such a great team. I experienced something incredible and amazing."
Buhr and Occhipinti have been steady in wins and improvement over four years. They are seniors who empower underclassmen to make a family environment where all players engage in decisions.
"Now, we have more responsibility," Occhipinti said. "Our teammates help hold us accountable. We know we can do it. I think we have the best team that we've ever had. I think we can do great things. I really have high expectations."
Puhse and Weiss are newcomers who bring the impact that the seniors did upon their arrival three seasons ago. Puhse defeated a San Jose State No. 1 player in the fall while Weiss is coming off playing high on the singles ladder at Southern Utah last season.
Prudhomme, the coach's daughter, closed last season on an 11-match winning streak in doubles and Infantino had a midseason turnaround last season that culminated with her getting a clutch, 3 ½-hour win to clinch the Lopes' WAC title.
"We're not building at all," Prudhomme said of his women's team. "We're only getting stronger. We're excited to get that core back. They're confident in their abilities after the hard work they've put in over the last two years and are really starting to see the results come through at the end of last season."
The men start first with a road trip that hits Utah State on Saturday and Weber State on Sunday. It is the start of the team's most difficult schedule ever, pitting the Lopes against four Power 5 opponents and four opponents who reached last season's NCAA tournament.
That will challenge Fucile, who is aiming to earn a national singles ranking and repeat as the WAC Player of the Year.
"I'm pumped for this for sure," Fucile said. "It's going to be a tough season for the nonconference schedule but it will toughen us up to get ready for conference. That's the most important part we practice for. We'll take every lesson to build up for conference. Let's try to get this thing again."
Fucile will team with fellow All-WAC senior Valentin Lang, now at No. 2 singles, for a unique all-lefthander doubles pairing. They have the experience of a team that fought off three match points to rally for the WAC title against New Mexico State.
Beyond junior Freddie Grant returning, the Lopes lineup will be bolstered by an impact recruiting class of four freshmen (Can Franke, Laurent Magne, Julian Mueller and David Weber) and one sophomore, Mesa Community College transfer Maxim Kirsch.
"We're happy that we've got the same strength back at the top of the lineup and Freddie has shown steady improvement throughout his two years and really performed like an upperclassmen in the fall," Prudhomme said. "That competition in the squad is a good thing to keep guys sharp.
"With Lorenzo and Val and their strong leadership, they're going to help improve the learning curve for these young guys. They have a great relationship and the culture of the team is no different than the past. They're close and supportive."
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Then, GCU took more command of the WAC by winning both regular-season titles last season and sending the men's team to its first NCAA tournament appearance.
Now, the Lopes are taking the confidence of winning and planning to only do it better as a WAC favorite on both sides this spring.
"Success breeds success," GCU head coach Greg Prudhomme said. "Even when we have young people, you hope they walk into a winning program feeling like they can win. Before that success happens, what does that new person have to go by? When you come to a team that has done it before, they know it's their time to shine when that conference season or tournament starts."
The programs have laid that accomplished groundwork and ground strokes to be in a position to thrive simultaneously. The women won a WAC regular-season championship for the third time in five years last season and return five of their six tournament participants. The men won the regular-season and postseason conference titles and boast the reigning WAC Player of the Year in senior Lorenzo Fucile.
On the women's side, the senior duo of Celina Buhr and Emilia Occhipinti come off All-WAC honors to head a lineup that has been bolstered by the additions of freshman Natasha Puehse of Scottsdale, Arizona, and Southern Utah transfer Jana Weiss. Juniors Ludovica Infantino, Martina Lo Pumo and Autum Prudhomme also return to a lineup that will open the spring schedule at home Tuesday against No. 5 Duke.
"It's an awkward feeling," Buhr said of her senior season. "I'm feeling sad that it's at the end of our last year but I'm also happy that we have such a great team. I experienced something incredible and amazing."
Buhr and Occhipinti have been steady in wins and improvement over four years. They are seniors who empower underclassmen to make a family environment where all players engage in decisions.
"Now, we have more responsibility," Occhipinti said. "Our teammates help hold us accountable. We know we can do it. I think we have the best team that we've ever had. I think we can do great things. I really have high expectations."
Puhse and Weiss are newcomers who bring the impact that the seniors did upon their arrival three seasons ago. Puhse defeated a San Jose State No. 1 player in the fall while Weiss is coming off playing high on the singles ladder at Southern Utah last season.
Prudhomme, the coach's daughter, closed last season on an 11-match winning streak in doubles and Infantino had a midseason turnaround last season that culminated with her getting a clutch, 3 ½-hour win to clinch the Lopes' WAC title.
"We're not building at all," Prudhomme said of his women's team. "We're only getting stronger. We're excited to get that core back. They're confident in their abilities after the hard work they've put in over the last two years and are really starting to see the results come through at the end of last season."
The men start first with a road trip that hits Utah State on Saturday and Weber State on Sunday. It is the start of the team's most difficult schedule ever, pitting the Lopes against four Power 5 opponents and four opponents who reached last season's NCAA tournament.
That will challenge Fucile, who is aiming to earn a national singles ranking and repeat as the WAC Player of the Year.
"I'm pumped for this for sure," Fucile said. "It's going to be a tough season for the nonconference schedule but it will toughen us up to get ready for conference. That's the most important part we practice for. We'll take every lesson to build up for conference. Let's try to get this thing again."
Fucile will team with fellow All-WAC senior Valentin Lang, now at No. 2 singles, for a unique all-lefthander doubles pairing. They have the experience of a team that fought off three match points to rally for the WAC title against New Mexico State.
Beyond junior Freddie Grant returning, the Lopes lineup will be bolstered by an impact recruiting class of four freshmen (Can Franke, Laurent Magne, Julian Mueller and David Weber) and one sophomore, Mesa Community College transfer Maxim Kirsch.
"We're happy that we've got the same strength back at the top of the lineup and Freddie has shown steady improvement throughout his two years and really performed like an upperclassmen in the fall," Prudhomme said. "That competition in the squad is a good thing to keep guys sharp.
"With Lorenzo and Val and their strong leadership, they're going to help improve the learning curve for these young guys. They have a great relationship and the culture of the team is no different than the past. They're close and supportive."
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Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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