Rome, GA – UIC men's tennis junior Nikola Puntaric has qualified to represent the Flames at the ITA Conference Masters Championships at the Rome Tennis Center in Rome, Georgia.

Puntaric punched his ticket following an impressive run at the 2026 MAC Indoor Championships hosted by Ball State University from October 23–25. Competing in the top singles draw, where players battled directly for an automatic bid to the national stage, Puntaric advanced to the championship match to secure his place in the postseason.

His path to the finals included a convincing 6-4, 6-2 quarterfinal victory over Western Michigan's Chen Hui Ho, followed by a semifinal walkover past No. 3 seed Andrei Caragea of Ball State. 

SCHEDULE:

November 5–8, 2026

ITA Conference Masters Championships

Hosted at the Rome Tennis Center 

CHAMPIONSHIP INFORMATION:

The ITA Conference Masters Championships feature elite designated singles players and doubles teams representing AQ-eligible NCAA Division I conferences. The top four singles semifinalists from the tournament will earn a direct spot at the NCAA Singles Championship later in November.

RESULTS:

Live draws, updates, and final scores will be available via the ITA Tennis Page.

FOLLOW THE FLAMES

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