Tigers Finish 14th in the Nation in Final Oracle/ITA NJCAA Rankings

Tempe, AZ—The Marion Military Institute Tigers notched the 14th spot in the final Oracle/ITA NJCAA Men's Rankings for the 2019-2020 calendar year.  The Tigers finished with an overall record of 9-1 on the year before their season was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We had a lot of talented freshmen on this year's team," said MMI coach Charles Wright.  "In fact, our top four players were all freshmen.  Our No. 1 singles player, Andrew Branicki, turned out to be a tremendous talent in singles and especially in doubles.  Sean Dreher, in the No. 2 singles slot, was one of the best grinders I've had in my tenure here as a coach.  Joseph Tanjuatco, who played at No. 3 singles, used his athleticism to excel in both singles and doubles.  And William Phillips had his opponents scrambling to return his powerful serves and ground strokes in the No. 4 spot."

Branicki created quite a splash in his freshman campaign, winding up at #23 in the singles rankings and, with Tanjuatco as his partner, at #5 in the doubles rankings.

"In my mind, Andrew and Joseph's doubles ranking of #5 is an exceptional accomplishment," Wright said.  "Every time they stepped on the court they brought an unparalleled level of sparkling play with them—jaw-dropping athleticism, spectacular creativity, and unsurpassed shot-making skills.  I remember the time early on in the year when Andrew told me that he would take a shot to the head in order to win.  I pretty much dismissed his offhand and offbeat comment with a laugh.  Yes, I was a tad skeptical then, but I am a true believer now."

One of only two sophomores on the team and a relative neophyte to the sport of tennis, Dom Ingram played with a lot of spirit and intensity during his two-year stint with the team.  

"Of all the players on this year's team, Dom was the player who put his heart and soul on his racket," Wright said.  "He always gave every last ounce of his energy on the court.  During the course of his two years here, he improved his game dramatically.  He worked hard, and then he worked harder.  He is a true champion."

Other members of the 2019-2020 team include Matthew Campbell,  Isaac Magee, Preston Smith, Austin Taylor, and Emmanuel Warner.