By Brian Roe, Sports Writer

ACU sophomore Casper Steencamp beat Matias Oddone of Drury University on Sunday to win the men’s ITA singles championship in Springfield, Mo. Steencamp, a Texas Tech transfer, has not lost a singles match this season. He did lose, however, with fellow sophomore Jason Ray in the doubles championship to Drury’s Oddone and Akos Tajta.

Coach Hutton Jones said the ITA regional tournament is important for the fall and spring seasons.

“It was a great tournament; we did several things right and did a good job of establishing ourselves this weekend,” Jones said. “We really wanted to establish to other teams that ACU is serious and that we will always going to be contending in matches.”

Jones said some of the other players that did not advance as far received tough draws but still played well, including senior Trent Broach.

“Trent played really well this weekend but had a tough draw playing the number two seed in the singles and playing the team that won the championship in doubles,” said Jones.

Jones said he is looking at the big picture with all of his players.

“I am more worried about how we finish, rather than how we start,” he said. “But I still think we showed that we are a good team this weekend.”

Jones said he was also pleased with the efforts of freshmen Kevin Beedy and George Carstens, who made it to the quarterfinals before losing. Beedy won the consolation championship in singles.

“We were pleased with our underclassmen this weekend for sure,” Jones said. “I am really excited that we have an ACU representative for both the men and women in Casper and Colleen Reynolds. Last year we didn’t send any one to the national tournament, so I am happy that we are sending two this year.”

The men’s team will next compete in the UT-Arlington tournament this weekend in Arlington. The women will travel to Lexington, Kent., to play in the Kentucky Invitational. ACU will be the only Division II team in the tournament.