BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Coming off the most prolific season and first-ever Big South Tournament Championship, the Gardner-Webb men's tennis team added an end of the year regional ranking to its resume as announced by the ITA on Wednesday, June 4.
After finishing 10th following the 2024 season, GWU jumped two spots to No. 8 regionally to end a year in which the Runnin' Bulldogs went undefeated in Big South Conference play, winning the regular season and tournament crowns while making an appearance in the NCAA Men's Tennis Championship, falling to eventual National Champion Wake Forest, 4-1.
The Runnin' Bulldogs also concluded the year with a No. 75 national ranking after jumping into the national polls at No. 70 on March 18, the first in team history, falling just behind Big Ten power Penn State.
The four-year class of Eduardo Dias, Numa Lemieux-Monette, and Alex Lepine put together a remarkable career with an overall dual record of 68-27 while protecting the home courts with a mark of 33-6 at the Webb Tennis Complex. The last defeat at home coming more than two years ago to a nationally ranked Georgia Southern team.
Dias quickly became a staple of dominance for Gardner-Webb, earning back-to-back Big South Player of the Year honors following the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Teammate Alexandre Bergeron, in his rookie campaign, brought home hardware as the Big South Freshman of the Year.
Lemieux-Monette and Dias were also able to represent the conference on a national level at the ITA Masters this past November after winning the inaugural Big South Fall Individual Championships. Dias captured the singles crown before teaming with Lemieux-Monette for a doubles championship.
For the program overall, the Runnin' Bulldogs put together a stellar two-year span of 40-9, including a perfect 18-0 mark at home.
