FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Kaya Gore and Charlie Morkel will represent Fairfield University Men's Tennis at the ITA All-American Championships in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Gore and Morkel will compete in the pre-qualifying singles draw beginning this Saturday Oct. 2.
 
Both Stags will enter a draw of 256 student-athletes selected based upon their preseason national rankings. That field ultimately narrows to the top 64 players in Division I tennis, who will compete for the ITA All-American Championship from Oct. 6-10 in Tulsa.

Morkel will take the court at 10 AM (9 AM Central) against Oklahoma State freshman Francisco Pini. In anticipation of rain, the match will be held at the Cowboys' indoor Greenwood Tennis Center in Stillwater. Gore earned a bye into the round of 128, where he will meet the winner of a morning match featuring Jonah Wilson of Arizona State and Conor Gannon of Tennessee. Start time and location for Gore's first match are still TBD pending the weather and the completion of the opening round.
 
Gore and Morkel are the first Stags to ever compete at the ITA All-American Championships.
 
"It's a great step for the men's tennis program to go the All-American Championships," said Head Coach Jeff Bricker. "It shows the progress we've made over the last three years, and hopefully is the first step as we work to put Fairfield Tennis in the national conversation. I'm really excited that Kaya and Charlie are getting this opportunity to compete at the national level."
 
Gore is the reigning MAAC Player of the Year after posting a 5-0 record at #1 singles and 4-1 in #1 doubles (with Stathis Tsiranidis) during the spring of 2021. He was named to the All-MAAC First Team in both singles and doubles play.
 
Morkel is graduate transfer from UNC Asheville and earned All-Big South First Team laurels as a singles competitor for the Bulldogs last spring. He was also a Second Team All-Big South performer in 2019 and a two-time Big South Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
 
A full list of those selected to play at the 2021 ITA Men's All-American Championships can be viewed HERE.
 
SCHEDULE OF PLAY 
Saturday, October 2 – Sunday, October 3 | Pre-Qualifying
Singles Draw of 256
 
Monday, October 4 – Tuesday, October 5 | Qualifying
Singles Draw of 128
Doubles Draw of 64
 
Wednesday, October 6 – Sunday, October 10 | Main Draw
Singles Draw of 64
Doubles Draw of 32