Valdes Earns First Win of Season in Finale

CHICAGO – Chicago State men’s tennis player Chad Valdes earned his first win of the season with a 7-5, 6-3 win over IU Indy’s top player, Steven Paz to close out the 2025 spring season.

The Cougars dropped the match, 6-1, overall but had very encouraging play at No. 1 and No. 2 singles, outside of Valdes win at No. 1, Andrei-Rares Negrut had a very close match at No. 2 singles falling 7-5, 6-3 to Eli Mercer.

The match concludes the 2025 season for the Cougars.

Results

IU Indianapolis 6, Chicago State University 1

4/19/2025

at Chicago, Illinois

Singles

1. Chad Valdes (CSU) def. Steven Paz (INDY) 7-5, 6-3 

2. Eli Mercer (INDY) def. Andrei-Rares Negrut (CSU) 7-5, 6-3

3. Will Thurin (INDY) def. Reed Gahagan (CSU) 6-0, 6-0

4. Konner Gunwall (INDY) def. Logan Daily (CSU) 6-0, 6-0

5. Vincent Nauta (INDY) def. No player (CSU), by default

6. Nate Day (INDY) def. No player (CSU), by default

Doubles

1. Nate Day/Konner Gunwall (INDY) def. Chad Valdes/Andrei-Rares Negrut (CSU) 6-1

2. Will Thurin/Steven Paz (INDY) def. Reed Gahagan/Logan Daily (CSU) 6-0

3. Eli Mercer/Pumiphat Sukkho (INDY) def. No player/No player (CSU), by default

Match Notes: IU Indianapolis 10-12 Chicago State University 1-10

About Chicago State Athletics

Chicago State University sponsors 16 Division I intercollegiate athletic teams and competes in the Northeast Conference (effective July 2024) with the exception of men’s and women’s tennis who will compete in the Horizon League during the 2024-25 season. CSU’s athletic program includes over 150 student-athletes that compete in basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, tennis, indoor and outdoor track, triathlon and volleyball.  

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