April 22, 2026

Adrian Catahan leads Ferris State men’s tennis to GLIAC regular season title, shows poise in critical matchups

With the 2025-26 GLIAC Regular Season Championship title on the line, Adrian Catahan rose to the challenge for the Ferris State men’s tennis program. 

The Bulldogs were neck-and-neck with Wayne State University in a matchup tied at 3-3 following the conclusion of nearly all singles and doubles matches on Apr. 18 – all expect for Catahan’s, who was playing at No. 5 singles and a chance to clinch the championship. 

"It was nerve-wracking, very nerve-wracking," he said. "I knew that my teammates were there for me. Tennis is an individual sport in a lot of ways, but it was great having my teammates there. It's something that can keep you going." 

The sophomore from North Bay, Ontario, noted that although the moment to clinch the title rested on his shoulders. 

Catahan, a Professional Tennis Management major, dropped the first set 7-5 and came back with a decisive 6-2 win in the second set, as his singles contest came down to the third and final set. As his opponent mounted a 4-1 scoring run in the third, the Warriors were just three points from the victory, but that’s when Catahan’s big rally started. 

Sparked by a beautiful shot against Wayne State’s Benjamin Hill - who had been serving well throughout the match - Catahan caught a late break. He capitalized on the chance, taking a 7-5 victory in the deciding set to lift Ferris State to a 4-3 win overall and clinching the GLIAC Regular Season title. 

"That was mind-blowing. I didn't even really think about hitting that shot. It just came naturally. I could probably make that shot only once in 10 tries. I got that one shot. … There was definitely a lot of pressure coming into this match,” Catahan said. 

Clinching the contest against Hill also helped the Bulldogs avoid a three-way tie with Wayne State and Grand Valley State University atop the GLIAC standings to close the regular season. 

Catahan knew what the team was up against. 

"We knew what Wayne State could bring. It's been a rivalry and we've had some good matches with them. We knew that they were going to come in very strong, especially not getting the result that they wanted against GV,” he said. “We all knew that they wanted to get the win over us. And what can I say? It was for the conference title. It was now or never for us." 

Head coach Mark Doren was impressed with what he witnessed. 

"I can't say enough about Adrian Catahan and his unwavering belief in his abilities today," he said. "With the match tied 3-3, Adrian was down 4-1 in the third set and came back to win 7-5 to clinch the victory,” Doren said. 

With the win, Ferris State adds another chapter to its storied men's tennis tradition—one defined by resilience, composure and a defining moment under pressure. 

"It's incredible," Catahan said. "Honestly, I have no words to say—just incredible, and I'm really looking forward to more Ferris State tennis, this year and upcoming years."