[TOURNAMENT CENTRAL]

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The 3^rd annual Juan Varon Wildcat Invitational hosted by Bethune-Cookman University is set to begin Friday at 1 p.m. at Daytona Beach's Florida Tennis Center.

Including B-CU, 15 teams are scheduled to compete this weekend in the tournament named after Varon, a former Wildcat standout who died in 2013. Varon had lobbied for this tournament to give his teams a home event and for the opportunity to compete on a clay surface, popular among international players. Varon's parents are expected to visit over the weekend.

Rather than bracketed flights, the tournament will feature round-robin flights to ensure competitors play more matches over the three days.

It's the final fall event for both Wildcat teams.

B-CU MEN'S UPDATE: Jose Plazas went 2-0 in singles play last week at the Embry-Riddle Open. Plazas also had a doubles win with Victor Bravo … David Ocampo, a friend of Varon's, has had to withdraw from the event due to a family emergency in Colombia … The Wildcat men posted three singles and one doubles flight championship in the first two years of the event.  

B-CU WOMEN'S UPDATE: The women return to action for the first time since the Mercer Gridiron Championship October 6-8 …. Matea Roki and Rehaana Butt each posted singles victories and combined for a doubles victory…  Sheerly Bueno won her
flight on opening weekend at the Women's Bedford Cup hosted by USF…B-CU has one women's flight championship in the two-year tournament history.

THE FIELD: Players to watch include…

WOMEN
Megane Bianco (Keiser) and Daniella Farfan (Keiser) -- won the ITA National Championship for the NAIA.Bianco is the third ranked player in the NAIA.
Alessandra Grela (Keiser) -- Ranked #22 in NAIA.
Julianna Heinio (Keiser) -- Ranked #30 in NAIA.
Yuliana Monroy and Dugleisy Linarez (Eastern Florida State) – Were both ranked in final Oracle/ITA NJCAA ranking. Monroy was #3 and Linarez #22.

MEN
Vicente Lagos (Keiser) -- Finalist in the ITA Regional
Juan Ortiz Couder (Embry-Riddle)  - 2017 ITA All-American...ranked 12th in NCAA II singles poll.
Thomas Grinberg (St. Leo) – 2017 Division II All-American and ITA South Region singles champion; Finished third at ITA Oracle Cup
Vincert Suillerot (St. Leo) – 2017 Division II All-American
Lukas Storck (Flagler) – Nationally ranked in Division II in doubles
Julian Turosienski (Keiser) -- Ranked #25 in NAIA singles.
 
TOURNAMENT COVERAGE: Follow our official twitter feeds -- @CatsTennis and @BCUathletics – for updates during the day and the tournament central at BCUathletics.com at the conclusion of each day.