(WIAA) – The 31st Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Boys Team Tennis Tournament will be held Friday and Saturday, June 12-13 at Nielsen Tennis Stadium on the campus of the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wis. Action will begin at 3:30 p.m. Friday with Division 1 quarterfinals. Play will resume with Division 1 and 2 semifinals at 9 a.m. Saturday. The championship matches in both divisions will begin following the semifinals based on court availability.
THE DIVISION 1 MATCH-UPS:
Division 1 – Quarterfinals (June 12 – 3:30 p.m.)
#1 Whitefish Bay (24-1) vs. #8 Hudson (19-3)
#4 Marquette (19-3) vs. #5 Neenah (14-6)
#3 Badger (19-5) vs. #6 Franklin (24-2)
#2 Middleton (20-6) vs. #7 Notre Dame (12-11)
Division 1 – Semifinals (June 13 – 9 a..m.)
Winner of #1 vs. #8 vs. Winner of #4 vs. #5
Winner of #2 vs. #7 vs. Winner of #3 vs. #6
Division 1 – Championship (June 13 – following semifinals)
Winners of Semifinal Matches
THE DIVISION 2 MATCH-UPS:
Division 2 – Semifinals (June 13 – 9 a.m.)
#1 Shorewood (17-8) vs. #4 Edgewood (15-5)
#2 Altoona (26-0) vs. #3 Kohler (23-4)
Division 2 – Championship (June 13 – following semifinals)
Winners of Semifinals Matches.
LAST YEAR: Brookfield Central won the Division 1 championship for the second year in a row with a 5-2 victory over former Middleton in the championship match. In Division 2, University School of Milwaukee won the team title with a 5-2 victory over Altoona in the championship match.
THE HISTORY OF THE CHAMPIONSHIPS: The WIAA has sponsored a team championship in boys tennis since 1995 with the exception of 2020 when the tournament was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Points scored by individuals determined team champions prior to 1995. Nicolet had dominated the Division 1 competition for years, winning a membership-leading 26 championships, including six (1997-99, 2004-06) since the advent of the two-division team tournament. Eight of the Knights’ championships came consecutively from 1967-74. Marquette is a distant second in the number of titles with 15. Seven of Marquette’s titles came consecutively from 2007-13. The Hilltoppers also had a streak of five straight championships from 2015-19. University School of Milwaukee is third on the list of champions with 12 team titles, and Neenah is next with 10 titles. Six of University School’s titles came consecutively from 2006-11. Manitowoc and Whitefish Bay are next in line with six titles apiece. Since the dual match format was adopted, Eau Claire Memorial has made the most State appearances with 25. Neenah is next with 22, and Marquette has qualified 21 times.
DIVISION 1 NOTES: Whitefish Bay is the top seed in the bracket. The Blue Dukes make their seventh State Tournament appearance and their first since qualifying in Division 1 for the first time in 2021. Their first five appearances were in Division 2 and all resulted in State championships, capturing the gold trophy from 1997-2000, and then again in 2002. They are the champions of the North Shore Conference this year. Last season’s runner-up Middleton is the second seed in the bracket. The Cardinals qualify for the fifth time in the last six years and for the 17th time overall. They are in pursuit of the program’s first State title, after advancing to the title match and finishing runner-up in 2000, 2007, 2009, 2015, 2023 and 2025. The Cardinals finished atop the standings in the Big Eight Conference this season. Third-seeded Badger is making its fourth appearance in a row and its sixth overall. The Badgers earned their first match victory in their State Team Tournament history in 2025 to advance to the semifinals for the first time. They are the champions in the Southern Lakes Conference this spring. The fourth seed in the bracket is Marquette. The Hilltoppers are making their 19th straight appearance, excluding the canceled season of 2020, and their 22nd overall. They have won the team championship in 13 of the last 18 State Tournaments and have won 15 titles overall. The years they earned State team titles include 2002, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2023, as well as runner-up finishes in 2004, 2021 and 2024. The Hilltoppers finished runner-up in the Greater Metro Conference this spring. Fifth-seeded Neenah makes its 12th State appearance in the last 13 seasons – discounting the canceled season in 2020 – and its 23rd overall, which ranks second-most in the membership. The Rockets won five straight championships from 1991-1995 and have won 10 titles overall, also earning the crown in 1946, 1951, 1953, 1957 and 1965. In addition, the Rockets have 12 runner-up finishes, including 1935, 1940, 1950, 1952, 1971, 1996, 2001, 2005, 2013, 2016, 2017 and 2022. This season, they finished atop the Fox Valley Association standings. Franklin is the #6 seed in the bracket. The Sabers are embarking on their second straight appearance after experiencing the State Team Tournament for the first time last season, which resulted in a loss in the quarterfinals. They are the champions of the Southeast Conference this year. Seventh-seeded Notre Dame returns to the Division 1 field to make its 13th State appearance. The Tritons also qualified in Division 1 in 2022 and 2023 before returning to Division 2 in their most recent appearance in 2024. They captured the gold trophy in two of their 10 tourney experiences in Division 2, including 2012 and 2019. In addition, they have finished runner-up in Division 2 five times, including 2005, 2010, 2013, 2016 and again in 2024. The Tritons finished third in the standings of the Fox River Classic Conference this spring. Hudson, the eighth seed, will also be participating in its first-ever State Team Tournament. The Raiders are the champions of the Big Rivers Conference this season.
DIVISION 2 NOTES: Top-seeded Shorewood has qualified for the second time and for the first time since 2001 when the Greyhounds finished runner-up. They are the champions of the Woodland Conference this season. Last year’s runner-up Altoona will experience the State Team Tournament for the second time in the program’s history. The Railroaders are the champions of the Middle Border Conference this spring. Kohler, the third seed in the bracket, qualifies for the fifth time and for the second year in a row. The Blue Bombers will be attempting to advance past the semifinal round for the first time. They are the champions of the Eastern Wisconsin Conference this year. Fourth-seeded Edgewood returns to the State Team Tournament for the third year in a row and for the 18th time overall. The Crusaders have won two team titles, one in 2016 and the other in 2018. They have advanced to the title match eight other times with runner-up finishes in 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015 and 2017. The Crusaders are the champions in the Small Division of the Badger Conference this spring.
INDIVIDUAL TOURNEY HONORS: Senior Alex Thomas of Notre Dame, the top seed in the bracket, won the Division 1 singles championship with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over second-seeded Alexander Bo, a senior from Middleton, in the title match. Thomas finished his undefeated season at 21-0 after placing third in Division 1 last season and finishing runner-up in Division 2 in 2024. The four-time qualifier also advanced to the second round of Division 1 competition in 2023. In Division 1 doubles play, the second-seeded tandem of senior Jake Zheng and junior Ryker Koch of Brookfield East defeated the top-seeded duo of senior Miles Seder and sophomore Chase Larson of Menomonee Falls 6-2, 6-3 in the championship match. The Spartans duo capped the season with a 26-4 record. In Division 2, sophomore Teddy Busateri of East Troy, the top seed in the bracket, won the singles championship after placing third last season. He defeated third-seeded Oliver Milleman, a senior from Catholic Memorial, 6-4, 6-0 in the championship match. Busateri improved his record to 27-2 this season. The top-seeded tandem of senior Finn Milleman and junior Brady Latus of Catholic Memorial won the Division 2 doubles title for the second consecutive season. The Tritons duo defeated the second-seeded tandem of seniors Gianni Frausto and Cavin Baltus of Plymouth 6-2, 6-7 (5), 10-2 in the title match. Milleman and Latus improved their unblemished record to 23-0. Milleman also won the doubles championship with a different partner in 2024.
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