The Harding University men’s tennis team closed out its 2025 season with a historic achievement, earning its highest-ever national ranking of No. 21 in the final ITA NCAA Division II standings. This marks a major leap from the program’s previous best of No. 34, set in 2021.
The Bisons finished the season with a strong 15-7 overall record and reached the semifinals of the Central Region Tournament.
Senior Cas de Ruiter ended his college career on a high note. He posted a 19-12 singles record and was ranked No. 8 nationally in Division II—the highest singles ranking ever achieved by a Harding men’s player since the program entered NCAA Division II competition in 1997-98. The previous record was held by Dani Ortiz, who was ranked No. 23 in 2023.
Junior Adrian Solorzano also had a standout year, finishing with a 19-9 singles record and earning a No. 23 national ranking.
As a doubles team, de Ruiter and Solorzano went 17-9 and achieved a No. 11 national ranking. This is the third straight season Harding has had a doubles team ranked in the national top 12, with de Ruiter playing a key role in each of those seasons.
In the year-end ITA Central Region rankings, the Harding men’s team placed third. De Ruiter ranked fourth in singles regionally, and Solorzano ranked seventh. Their doubles team was ranked No. 2 in the region, and another Harding duo—Florian Gayme and Cian Mikkelsen—was ranked No. 10.
The Harding women’s tennis team also earned national and regional recognition. Alexia Zarate Valdez, with a 20-9 singles record, ranked No. 13 nationally, while Karli Roux, who went 17-7, was ranked No. 46. The Lady Bisons finished No. 8 in the Central Region.
Zarate Valdez was ranked No. 2 in regional singles, and her doubles team with Roux earned the No. 9 spot in the region.
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