Alejandro Jacome became the first player to commit to Wichita State after Darragh Glavin was hired as the men’s tennis coach in 2022.
Glavin had already seen Jacome compete in tournaments in his native Ecuador. When the opportunity arose to play college tennis, Jacome saw it as both a chance and a risk — one worth taking. The relationship Glavin built with Jacome’s family helped make the decision easier.
“Me and my dad, we sat down, and we were like, ‘Let’s try this,’” Jacome said.
Four seasons later, Jacome and fellow senior Luke Bracks played their final home match in a Shocker uniform — a 4-2 loss to Virginia Commonwealth on Friday afternoon at Genesis Rock Road.
While the result wasn’t what the seniors had hoped for, their appreciation for their time in Wichita remains unchanged.
“It’s a pleasure to play here,” Jacome said. “They gave me the opportunity to play here. I’m thankful for everything.”
The loss dropped Wichita State to 12-9 and capped an 0-2 week, following an eight-match winning streak — the program’s longest since 2008. Even so, the Shockers remain on pace for their best finish under Glavin, now in his fourth season.
“We’ve had some down years the first couple (I was here),” Glavin said. “It’s been fun and exciting for us, and for them, to be part of that change, seeing the culture grow and the results come together this year.
“This week was tougher, but we still have a lot of season left and a chance to finish strong with those seniors.”
Wichita State will travel to face Drake on April 4 in Des Moines, Iowa, with an opportunity to secure its highest regular-season win total since 2021. The Shockers will then have two weeks off before the American Conference Championship, scheduled for April 15-19 in Tulsa, Okla.
On Friday, Wichita State fell behind early after dropping the doubles point on courts two and three.
“I knew they had a good roster and it was going to be a battle,” Glavin said. “That’s exactly what it was.”
Ilias Worthington and Rodrigo Cruz lost 6-1 on court two, followed by a narrow 4-2 defeat from Jacome and Felix Bockelmann-Evans. The closest doubles match went unfinished, with Bracks and Pablo Roche Alcaya leading 5-4 on court one when play was halted.
Zaid Al Mashni, the nation’s No. 98-ranked singles player, evened the match with a straight-sets win, 6-3, 6-3, on court two. He has now won six of his last seven singles matches and continues to emerge as one of the team’s top players.
“He just continues to grow, and the belief keeps coming,” Glavin said. “That’s the big part.
“He’s got the belief. He’s put in the work. It’s been good to see.”
Amir Milushev added Wichita State’s only other singles win, earning a 6-4, 7-6 (8-6) victory on court five.
For Jacome and Bracks, the final home match didn’t end as they had hoped. Still, during a period of transition under a new head coach, the two seniors helped lay the foundation for the program’s future.
“We’ve got a young team,” Glavin said. “They’ve been able to show them the way — and the right way to do things.”
