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Puntaric Qualifies for Conference Masters After Run to MAC Championships Final

UIC earns a singles finalist appearance and multiple semifinal runs

10/27/2026 4:00:00 PM

Muncie, Ind. – UIC men's tennis wrapped up competition at the 2026 MAC Championships, hosted by Ball State University from October 23-25, highlighted by Junior Nikola Puntaric advancing to the singles championship match and Junior Eldin Nokic reaching the semifinals.

  • Puntaric advanced to the singles final after earning a quarterfinal victory over Western Michigan's Chen Hui Ho, 6-4, 6-2. He then advanced past No. 3 seed Andrei Caragea of Ball State by walkover due to injury before falling in the championship match to finish as the singles runner-up.

  • Nokic put together a strong singles run, defeating Toledo's David Perret, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, before upsetting No. 2 seed Oscar Corwin of Western Michigan, 6-2, 7-5. Nokic's run ended in the semifinals against No. 3 seed Caragea, 3-6, 6-4, 4-6.
  • UIC appeared in four of eight finals with Vanja and Arrav winning their respective draws.

QUOTE FROM HEAD COACH JOVAN PARLIC

"I'm extremely proud of Nikola and the rest of our guys for their performances this past week! UIC was represented in 4 finals out of 8 total draws at the MAC Conference Tournament! In the top singles draw, where players competed for an automatic bid to the NCAA Conference Masters Individual Championships, we had both Eldin and Nikola competing. Nikola made an outstanding run to the finals, earning his spot in Rome, GA, where he will compete against conference champions from across the country! Vanja and Arrav also had fantastic weeks, winning their respective draws! I couldn't be prouder of the way our guys competed and represented UIC. These results reflect the hard work they have been putting in, and it's great to see that effort paying off. Now it's time to get back to work! Our focus shifts to continuing to build physically, improving our game both on and off the court, and putting more work into our doubles."

UP NEXT

Nikola Puntaric will represent UIC at the ITA Conference Masters Championships, held November 5-8 in Rome, Georgia, as he looks to compete against some of the top players in the country.

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For more information on the UIC men's tennis program, fans are encouraged to visit UICFlames.com, or follow the Flames on social media through X (@UIC_MTEN and @UICFlames) and Instagram (@uic_mten and @uicflames).

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