The SMU Mustangs host No. 2 Ohio State in a fierce ITA Indoor opener.
The stage is set for a marquee college tennis showdown as SMU opens play in the ITA National Indoor Championship against the Ohio State Buckeyes on Friday at noon CT.
The first-round match will be played at the Styslinger / Altec Tennis Complex, giving SMU a true home-court atmosphere in one of the sport’s premier events.
Seeded No. 8 in the tournament, the Mustangs landed a difficult draw with the Buckeyes, who are ranked No. 2 nationally and sit atop SMU’s side of the bracket. It’s an early test, but also a valuable measuring stick for an SMU program that has steadily built momentum since joining the Atlantic Coast Conference.
SMU is one of five ACC teams in the 16-team field, joined by Clemson, Virginia, Stanford, and Wake Forest. The tournament is split between Dallas and Waco, with SMU and Baylor serving as host sites through the early rounds before championship weekend returns exclusively to Dallas.
History suggests the Mustangs are no strangers to this stage.
SMU owns two ITA National Indoor titles, first winning the championship in 1979 under Bill McClain and again in 1983 with Dennis Ralston at the helm. While the current roster looks to write its own chapter, that tradition continues to fuel expectations around the program.
Adding to the championship-week atmosphere, Taste of Tennis will make its college debut at Styslinger / Altec on Feb. 17. The fine-dining tennis experience will coincide with the title match, blending elite competition with a unique fan experience rarely seen at the collegiate level.
With several nationally ranked teams converging on Dallas and a top-two opponent standing across the net, SMU’s opening match sets the tone for what promises to be a high-energy week.
For the Mustangs, it’s an opportunity to defend home courts, challenge the nation’s best, and remind the college tennis world that SMU belongs on this stage.