The College of DuPage Chaparrals men's tennis opened the 2026 season with an 8-1 victory over the Milwaukee Area Technical College Stormers on March 14 in Milwaukee.

Returning No. 1 singles player Brandon Dumbell led the way for the Chaparrals with a dominant performance, defeating his opponent 6-0, 6-0 to set the tone for DuPage.

At No. 2 singles, Alex Cook stepped up into a higher lineup spot for the Chaparrals in his first collegiate match, taking on a difficult assignment against a strong Stormers opponent.

Giovanni Velasco delivered one of the most competitive matches of the day at No. 3 singles. Velasco jumped out to an early 3-0 lead before dropping the first set 7-5. He responded in the second set with steady groundstrokes that kept his opponent moving across the court and used timely net play to close out key points and even the match. The contest was decided in a super tiebreak, where Velasco's left-handed serve helped open the court and build an early advantage he would not relinquish.

Head coach Jim Bowers credited the team's effort and competitiveness to begin the season.

"MATC is always a strong team and it was a good start of the season to get the win against them," Bowers said. "The players that they did have were very knowledgeable with their strategy. Our guys had to fight hard to get the wins and even though No. 1 singles looked pretty decisive, Brandon had to get through many games that were hotly contested. Gio at No. 3 has improved by leaps and bounds from his freshman days—he's faster, fitter, smarter, and with his tenacity and explosive game we are hoping he can continue that style of play throughout the season."

DuPage returns to action on Saturday, March 21, when the Chaparrals travel to face the University of St. Francis Fighting Saints.