BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Second-seeded Carthage won the 2026 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Men’s Tennis Championship on Saturday afternoon, defeating top-seeded North Central, 4-1, at Evergreen Racquet Club in Bloomington, Ill.
 
The championship is Carthage’s first since 2023 and ended North Central’s attempt to win a third consecutive CCIW tournament title. The Firebirds improved to 21-4 with the victory, while the Cardinals closed the season at 15-8.
 
Carthage took the first point of the match with wins at No. 1 and No. 3 doubles. Finn Morris and Diego Silva defeated Henry Ros and Andres Valverde, 6-2, at No. 1 doubles. Francisco Silveria and Ethan Fodcheaux followed with a 6-3 victory over Matt Crossland and Daniel Vilaroig Martinez at No. 3 doubles to secure the doubles point. The No. 2 doubles match was unfinished, with North Central’s Jack Briggs and Philipp Wottgen leading Carthage’s Victor Pimenta and Luca Okino, 6-5.
 
The Firebirds added to their lead in singles play when Morris defeated Valverde at No. 3 singles, 7-6 (7-3), 6-2. North Central earned its point at No. 2 singles, where Ros defeated Silva in three sets, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.
 
Carthage moved within one point of the team victory at No. 5 singles. Okino won a three-set match against Itxaso Hernandez Ruiz, taking the opening set 6-3 before Hernandez Ruiz answered with a second-set tiebreak win. Okino won the final set, 6-4, to give the Firebirds a 3-1 lead.
 
Silveria clinched the championship at No. 1 singles. After dropping the opening set to Wottgen, 6-1, Silveria won the second set, 7-5, and closed the match with a 6-0 third set.
 
The remaining singles matches were unfinished after Carthage reached four team points. At No. 4 singles, North Central’s Rafael Lessa led Cyriac Cayuela, 6-3, 6-7 (3-7), 2-5. At No. 6 singles, Daniel Vilaroig Martinez led Pimenta, 7-6 (7-5), 5-5.
 
The championship adds to Carthage’s CCIW men’s tennis history, which includes eight consecutive conference titles from 2004 through 2011. Carthage and North Central have met in the CCIW championship match in four of the last five tournaments.