MARSHALL, Texas – Heading back to California for the second year in a row, East Texas Baptist University plays in the NCAA Division III Claremont, Calif., Men's Tennis Regional on Friday. They will take on host No. 3 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps on Friday at 8:00 p.m. Central time.
 
It is the second appearance in program history for ETBU in the NCAA Division III Tournament as they faced then No. 1 CMS last year in California. ETBU fell to CMS, 4-0, as the Staggs went on to make the Final Four. This will be the fourth-ranked opponent ETBU has played this season after taking on No. 22 Sewanee (L, 6-1), No. 35 Skidmore (L, 5-2), and No. 3 Case Western Reserve (L, 7-0).
 
The 13 wins are the third-most in program history, behind a program-best 15 in 2024 and 14 in 2025. First-year head coach Tommy Heim guided ETBU to the program's second American Southwest Conference Tournament Championship, following the Tigers' first in 2025 under then-head coach Drew Lambert.
 
ETBU has won both ASC Tournament Championships, 4-3, on their opponents' courts. Last year, ETBU took a 4-3 victory in Abilene, Texas, over top-seeded Hardin-Simmons, and this year defeated No. 1 seed Mary Hardin-Baylor, 4-3, in Belton. The 2026 championship was a gritty one: after being down 3-1, the Tigers came back to win the final three matches in tiebreakers to be crowned the champions.
 
The NCAA Division III Tournament match will be at the Biszantz Family Tennis Center in Claremont, Calif., as ETBU takes on No. 3 CMS at 8:00 p.m. central on Friday.