SAN DIEGO — The 2025 UC San Diego men's tennis season kicks off on Saturday with a crosstown doubleheader at San Diego State. The first match begins at 10 a.m. from the Aztec Tennis Center, with the second contest getting underway at 3 p.m.
 
Saturday's season opener also marks the first dual match for the Tritons since concluding the transition to NCAA Division I. UC San Diego is now fully postseason eligible after a four-year process that saw the Tritons only compete in regular season contests.
 
Head coach Timmer Willing returns for his 13th season at the helm of the men's tennis team and 24th overall with UC San Diego. Willing has eight players back from last season's team that picked up nine wins, the program's most since the Division I transition began in 2020-21. Three freshmen, including two from San Diego, complete the 11-man roster.
 
DETAILS
Match 1
UC San Diego (0-0) at San Diego State (0-0)
Saturday, Jan. 11 | 10 a.m.
Aztec Tennis Center | San Diego State
 
Match 2
UC San Diego (0-0) at San Diego State (0-0)
Saturday, Jan. 11 | 3 p.m.
Aztec Tennis Center | San Diego State
 
ABOUT UC SAN DIEGO
Roster | Schedule
ITA Ranking: NR
2024 Record: 9-18
2024 Big West: 2-4 (5th)
2024 Home: 8-12
2024 Away: 1-6
 
ABOUT SAN DIEGO STATE
Roster | Schedule
ITA Ranking: NR
2024 Record: 16-7
2024 Mountain West: 3-3 (4th)
2024 Home: 11-3
2024 Away: 3-3
2024 Neutral: 2-1
 
IN THE FALL
UC San Diego played in three fall tournaments in preparation for the dual match schedule. The Tritons participated in the UCSB Fall Classic and the ITA Southwest Regional Championships before hosting the first-ever Triton Fall Invitational.
 
SLINGIN' SOPHOMORE
Sophomore Carson Lee went 6-3 in singles across the three fall competitions. He was also the team's best performer at the ITA Southwest Regional Championships, where he reached the round of 16 in singles.
 
TOP OF THE LINEUP
Zach Pellouchoud and Pelayo Rodriguez return after leading the team's doubles lineup in 2024. The duo finished with an 11-8 record together. Also returning are top singles players Carson Lee and Diogo Tinoco. Lee played in the No. 1 or 2 spot in all but two matches, with Tinoco appearing in the No. 2 or 3 spot every match.
 
LAST TIME VS. THE AZTECS (APRIL 15, 2023)
San Diego State won 4-3 at home in a match played on two separate days due to rain. UC San Diego won the doubles point and two singles matches, including one by current Triton Pelayo Rodriguez.
 
UP NEXT
The Tritons welcome Point Loma for their home opener on Friday, Jan. 17. The match begins at 3:30 p.m. at the Northview Tennis Courts on UC San Diego's campus.
 
ROSTER BREAKDOWN
This year's squad features five seniors, two juniors, one sophomore and three freshmen. Eight return from last season, with six Tritons concluding their collegiate careers in 2024. California is home for all but three members of the 2025 team.
 
MEET THE NEWCOMERS
In its fifth year as an NCAA Division I program and its first as full members, the UC San Diego men's tennis team is excited to introduce its three-person scholar-athlete signing class of David Adamson (San Diego, Calif.), Robert Freedman (San Diego, Calif.) and James Krantz (Newport Beach, Calif.).
 
ACADEMIC RECOGNITION
In 2024 Zach Pellouchoud was named an ITA Scholar-Athlete. Charles Qian and Pelayo Rodriguez were named to the Big West Spring All-Academic Team and were joined by four other members of this year's squad on the Big West Commissioner's Honor Roll.
 
BEST OF THE BIG WEST
Carson Lee (Second Team) and Diogo Tinoco (Honorable Mention) look to repeat as All-Big West selections in singles play. Pelayo Rodriguez and Zach Pellouchoud (Second Team) are hoping to do the same in doubles.

BIG WEST POSTSEASON
UC San Diego is now fully eligible for conference and NCAA postseason play. This year's Big West Men's & Women's Tennis Championships will be held April 24-27 at the Barnes Tennis Center in San Diego.
 
WHY THE TRITONS?
The Triton is described as the offspring of Poseidon and Amphitrite, a demigod of the sea with a lower part of the body like that of a fish. It is known as a mighty and fierce sea warrior. Given UC San Diego's close proximity to the Pacific Ocean and its connections with the world-famous Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the Triton became our mascot in 1964.

TENNIS TALK ON UC SAN DIEGO ATHLETICS' PODCAST
As part of UC San Diego's transition to Division I, the Athletics Department launched a weekly podcast, Tritoncast. Produced by UC San Diego Athletics Communications, Tritoncast features in-depth interviews with UC San Diego personalities including scholar-athletes, alums, coaches, and administrators. Triton fans will get an inside look at the UC San Diego Athletics Department as the program transitions to NCAA Division I and The Big West. New episodes of Tritoncast are available each week on the most popular podcasting apps. In addition, each episode can be heard and downloaded on UCSDTritons.com. For individual show information and listen links, follow Tritoncast on X @Tritoncast.

GET SOCIAL WITH UC SAN DIEGO TENNIS
Keep up with the Tritons all season long on social media through X and Instagram. The team's handle is @ucsdmtennis.
 
FOR THE YOUNGER CROWD
Got some young Triton fans in your family? If they are eighth grade or under, check out the Junior Triton Club. Membership includes a free t-shirt, admission to over 100 UC San Diego home athletic events, and much more!
 
GEAR
For the latest Triton apparel and accessories, click here.
 
About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program began a new era in 2020 as a member of The Big West Conference in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 84 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have earned prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent, one of the highest rates among institutions at all divisions.