Box Score FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Kristof Minarik became the first Shocker since 1984 to earn a singles bid to the ITA National Fall Championships after making a run to the ITA Central Region Championships singles final Monday in Fayetteville, Ark.
 
"This was a great week for Kristof," head coach Darragh Glavin said. "We are very proud of the way he competed this week."
 
After earning a bye in the round of 128, Minarik dropped his first set, 6-3, to North Dakota's Cian McDonnell in the round of 64 and was forced to battle it out in the tiebreaker in the second set, narrowly escaping defeat with a 7-6 (11-9) set two win, before getting in his groove to move on to the round of 32 with a 6-3 set three victory.
 
"Having saved five match points in the first round, he improved his intensity level each match," Glavin said.
 
In the round of 32, Minarik defeated Oklahoma's Alex Martinez in straight sets, 7-5, 6-1, and went on to take down Oklahoma State's Alessio Basile, 7-6(4), 6-1, to earn a trip to the quarterfinals, where he claimed his third-straight straight-set victory, beating Baptiste Anselmo of OU, 6-2, 7-5. In doing so, Minarik became the first Shocker since All-American Murkel Dellien in 2018 to make an ITA Central Region semifinal appearance.
 
In the semis, Minarik jumped out to an early lead and was up, 4-2, when his opponent, Alejandro Garcia (OSU), went down and was forced to retire due to injury, sending Minarik to the Monday morning final against Nathan Han (OU).
 
Minarik found himself down 5-3 in the first set, but battled back, winning four-straight games to take set one, 7-5. In the second, the set was tied at 3-all when Han pulled ahead to take a 5-3 advantage, ultimately winning, 6-4, to even the match. Han had a dominant third set, only giving up one game to Minarik to be named the ITA Central Region Singles Champion.
 
"It's a tough region, and he had some great wins and came up just short," Glavin said. "Now he gets ready for fall nationals and will get another chance compete with the best in the country."
 
As a Central Region finalist, Minarik punched his ticket to the ITA National Fall Championships, which will take place November 2-6 at the Barnes Tennis Center in San Diego, Calif. He will be the first Shocker since Jeremy Grubi in 1984.
 
Minarik also made a run to the doubles quarterfinal with partner Alex Richards, winning a close round of 32 match, 8-7(2), over Oral Roberts opponents and claiming victory over OU's Han and Martinez, 8-6. The Shocker duo ultimately fell 8-3 to eventual finalists, Adrien Burdet and Alan Sau of host Arkansas.
 
Misha Kvantaliani and Luke Bracks picked up a doubles win over Lindenwood opponents in the round of 64. Kvantaliani and King also snagged a singles apiece in the main draw.
 
Over in the consolation bracket, Orel Ovil won four-straight matches to earn a trip to the final, where he won the first set before dropping the second and falling 10-5 in the tiebreaker.
 
"Overall, [it was] a good week for our program," Glavin said. "Everyone played tough, and we learned and grew as a team. Excited to get back to work and keep improving before our last fall events the first weekend of November."