Thursday, September 17
USAF Academy, Colo.
All Day
Montana
at
Bedford Cup
Griz open season with wins at Bedford Cup
9/21/2026 3:45:00 PM | Men's Tennis
MISSOULA - The Montana men's tennis team opened its fall season with a flourish of wins at the Bedford Cup in the Mountains hosted by the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs over the weekend.
The Griz were one of eight teams from around the region competing at the Academy, with UM taking on players from traditionally strong programs like Denver, New Mexico, New Mexico State and Air Force, along with Big Sky programs Idaho, Montana State, and Weber State.
Montana sent a youthful squad to Colorado, including a pair of freshmen and a sophomore transfer playing their first tennis as Grizzlies. Bozeman's Mason McCarty, Timo Meyer and Darrshan Suresh Kumar made their UM debuts. Matt Upton, a second-team All-Big Sky pick as a freshman, returned for his sophomore season and again made an impact, as did junior Jake Watkins and senior Joseph Townes.
Overall, the Griz finished just above .500 over the weekend, going 15-12 in singles and 6-6 in doubles, with the brackets set up in a "Dominant Duo" format that pitted the same opponents against each other in doubles and singles to guarantee matches for all players in all rounds.
"I was really impressed this weekend. Air Force puts on a first-class event, and we got better as a team. Everyone got a couple of wins, and we found some things we need to work on, but we've got the makings of a really solid team," said head coach Jason Brown.
"I also think it's as a cohesive group as we've had in a long time. The guys really supported each other and were just a pleasure to coach and travel with. Culturally, I think it's an amazing group."
Upton picked up a pair of wins over Idaho opponents while going 2-1 in singles and advancing to the consolation draw semis. He also went 2-1 in doubles with his partner Timo Meyer with more wins over the Vandals for an overall 4-2 record.
McCarty went 3-2 in singles play in his first collegiate tourney, taking down opponents from Air Force and Weber State with losses to New Mexico and New Mexico State to highlight a solid outing. His doubles partner Jake Watkins also picked up three singles wins over opponents from New Mexico and Weber State.
Newcomer Suresh Kumar, who represented his home country of Malaysia at the Davis Cup this summer, was the winningest Grizzly on the weekend, going 4-1 in singles to advance to the west draw finals where he eventually lost to Denver's Rafe Samuel in a superbreaker.
"Shout-out to Mason McCarty for picking up a couple wins as a true freshman, and Matt Upton picked up where he left off and I think will cement himself as one of the top players and leaders in the conference," added Brown.
"I was pleased with everyone though. The guys played well and picked up some nice wins so it was a productive weekend overall.
Montana returns to the road this week, traveling to Boise for the annual Dar Walters Classic tournament at Boise State Sept. 24-27.
Montana Results
Singles
Main R64
Nikhil Srivatsa (UNM) def. Joseph Townes (UM) 4-6, 7-6(2), 1-6
Darrshan Suresh Kumar (UM) def. Juan Jose Neira Rodriguez (UNM) 6-4, 6-4
Tyler Leaird (AF) def. Jake Watkins (UM) 7-5, 6-7(5), 6-1
Mason McCarty (UM) def. Caden Lee (AF) 6-1, 6-4
Main R32
Matt Upton (UM) def. Erick Wang (UI) 6-1, 6-2
Timo Meyer (UM) def. Valentin Glasl (UI) 2-6, 7-6(7), 1-0(6)
Consolation R32
Darrshan Suresh Kumar (UM) def. Andrew Lavine (UNM) 6-2, 6-4
Joseph Townes (UM) def. Beckham Butler (WSU) 4-6, 6-2, 1-0 (6)
Jake Watkins (UM) def. Antonie du toit Malan (WSU) 6-3, 7-6(4)
Mason McCarty (UM) def. Clement Lecoq (WSU) 6-3, 6-4
Main Quarters
Reuben De Klerk (MSU) def. Matt Upton (UM) 6-4, 1-6, 6-0
Timo Meyer (UM) def. Gareth Igesund (MSU) 6-3, 5-7, 6-3
Consolation Quarters
Darrshan Suresh Kumar (UM) def. Xavier Martin (UI) Ret. (Inj.)
Joseph Townes (UM) def. Noe De Col (UI) Ret. (Inj.)
Jake Watkins (UM) def. Carl Labitzke (UNM) Ret. (Inj.)
Connor Dils (UNM) def. Mason McCarty (UM) 3-6, Ret. (Inj.)
Consolation Semis
Mikolaj Lis (UI) def. Timo Meyer (UM) 6-3, 6-7(1), 1-0(6)
Matt Upton (UM) def. Erik Vladimirov (UI) 7-6(5), 7-5
Caleb Chow (AF) def. Joseph Townes (UM) 6-4, 4-6, 1-0(3)
Darrshan Suresh Kumar (UM) def. Matthew Staton (AF) 6-4, 7-5
4R Southbound & Extra Matches
Mason McCarty (UM) def. Beckham Butler (WSU) 7-6(3), 6-2
Jake Watkins (UM) def. Andrew Lavine (UNM) 7-5, 2-6, 1-0(5)
Consolation Finals
Kale Mize (NMSU) def. Jake Watkins (UM) 6-2, 6-2
Matias Rojas (NMSU) def. Mason McCarty (UM) 7-6(6), 6-3
Tobias Wallin (NMSU) def. Timo Meyer (UM) 6-1, 7-6(3)
5R Finals West & Extra Matches
Rafe Samuel (DU) def. Darrshan Suresh Kumar (UM) 6-0, 5-7, 1-0(8)
Roman Glarner (DU) def. Joseph Townes (UM) 7-5, 4-6, 1-0(14)
Doubles
Main R32
Srivatsa/Neira Rodriguez (UNM) def. Suresh Kumar/Townes (UM) 7-5
Leaird/Lee (AF) def. McCarty/Watkins (UM) 6-4
Main R16
Meyer/Upton (UM) def. Wang/Glasl (UI) 7-6(5)
Consolation R16
Suresh Kumar/Townes (UM) def. Lavine/Butler (UNM) 6-3
Lecoq/Malan (WSU) def. McCarty/Watkins (UM) 7-6(4)
Main Quarters
Igesund/De Klerk (MSU) def. Meyer/Upton (UM) 7-6(6)
Consolation Quarters
Suresh Kumar/Townes (UM) def. De Col/Martin (UI) 6-4
Consolation Semis
Staton/Chow (AF) def. Suresh Kumar/Townes (UM) 6-2
South (Lose, Lose, Win)
McCarty/Watkins (UM) def. Dils/Labitzke Ret. (Inj.)
Lavine/Butler (UNM/WSU) def. McCarty/Watkins (UM) 6-4
Northeast (Win, Win, Lose)
Meyer/Upton (UM) def. Lis/Vladimirov (UI) 6-1
Extra Matches
Suresh Kumar/Townes (UM) def. Glarner/Samuel (DU) 6-4
The Griz were one of eight teams from around the region competing at the Academy, with UM taking on players from traditionally strong programs like Denver, New Mexico, New Mexico State and Air Force, along with Big Sky programs Idaho, Montana State, and Weber State.
Montana sent a youthful squad to Colorado, including a pair of freshmen and a sophomore transfer playing their first tennis as Grizzlies. Bozeman's Mason McCarty, Timo Meyer and Darrshan Suresh Kumar made their UM debuts. Matt Upton, a second-team All-Big Sky pick as a freshman, returned for his sophomore season and again made an impact, as did junior Jake Watkins and senior Joseph Townes.
Overall, the Griz finished just above .500 over the weekend, going 15-12 in singles and 6-6 in doubles, with the brackets set up in a "Dominant Duo" format that pitted the same opponents against each other in doubles and singles to guarantee matches for all players in all rounds.
"I was really impressed this weekend. Air Force puts on a first-class event, and we got better as a team. Everyone got a couple of wins, and we found some things we need to work on, but we've got the makings of a really solid team," said head coach Jason Brown.
"I also think it's as a cohesive group as we've had in a long time. The guys really supported each other and were just a pleasure to coach and travel with. Culturally, I think it's an amazing group."
Upton picked up a pair of wins over Idaho opponents while going 2-1 in singles and advancing to the consolation draw semis. He also went 2-1 in doubles with his partner Timo Meyer with more wins over the Vandals for an overall 4-2 record.
McCarty went 3-2 in singles play in his first collegiate tourney, taking down opponents from Air Force and Weber State with losses to New Mexico and New Mexico State to highlight a solid outing. His doubles partner Jake Watkins also picked up three singles wins over opponents from New Mexico and Weber State.
Newcomer Suresh Kumar, who represented his home country of Malaysia at the Davis Cup this summer, was the winningest Grizzly on the weekend, going 4-1 in singles to advance to the west draw finals where he eventually lost to Denver's Rafe Samuel in a superbreaker.
"Shout-out to Mason McCarty for picking up a couple wins as a true freshman, and Matt Upton picked up where he left off and I think will cement himself as one of the top players and leaders in the conference," added Brown.
"I was pleased with everyone though. The guys played well and picked up some nice wins so it was a productive weekend overall.
Montana returns to the road this week, traveling to Boise for the annual Dar Walters Classic tournament at Boise State Sept. 24-27.
Montana Results
Singles
Main R64
Nikhil Srivatsa (UNM) def. Joseph Townes (UM) 4-6, 7-6(2), 1-6
Darrshan Suresh Kumar (UM) def. Juan Jose Neira Rodriguez (UNM) 6-4, 6-4
Tyler Leaird (AF) def. Jake Watkins (UM) 7-5, 6-7(5), 6-1
Mason McCarty (UM) def. Caden Lee (AF) 6-1, 6-4
Main R32
Matt Upton (UM) def. Erick Wang (UI) 6-1, 6-2
Timo Meyer (UM) def. Valentin Glasl (UI) 2-6, 7-6(7), 1-0(6)
Consolation R32
Darrshan Suresh Kumar (UM) def. Andrew Lavine (UNM) 6-2, 6-4
Joseph Townes (UM) def. Beckham Butler (WSU) 4-6, 6-2, 1-0 (6)
Jake Watkins (UM) def. Antonie du toit Malan (WSU) 6-3, 7-6(4)
Mason McCarty (UM) def. Clement Lecoq (WSU) 6-3, 6-4
Main Quarters
Reuben De Klerk (MSU) def. Matt Upton (UM) 6-4, 1-6, 6-0
Timo Meyer (UM) def. Gareth Igesund (MSU) 6-3, 5-7, 6-3
Consolation Quarters
Darrshan Suresh Kumar (UM) def. Xavier Martin (UI) Ret. (Inj.)
Joseph Townes (UM) def. Noe De Col (UI) Ret. (Inj.)
Jake Watkins (UM) def. Carl Labitzke (UNM) Ret. (Inj.)
Connor Dils (UNM) def. Mason McCarty (UM) 3-6, Ret. (Inj.)
Consolation Semis
Mikolaj Lis (UI) def. Timo Meyer (UM) 6-3, 6-7(1), 1-0(6)
Matt Upton (UM) def. Erik Vladimirov (UI) 7-6(5), 7-5
Caleb Chow (AF) def. Joseph Townes (UM) 6-4, 4-6, 1-0(3)
Darrshan Suresh Kumar (UM) def. Matthew Staton (AF) 6-4, 7-5
4R Southbound & Extra Matches
Mason McCarty (UM) def. Beckham Butler (WSU) 7-6(3), 6-2
Jake Watkins (UM) def. Andrew Lavine (UNM) 7-5, 2-6, 1-0(5)
Consolation Finals
Kale Mize (NMSU) def. Jake Watkins (UM) 6-2, 6-2
Matias Rojas (NMSU) def. Mason McCarty (UM) 7-6(6), 6-3
Tobias Wallin (NMSU) def. Timo Meyer (UM) 6-1, 7-6(3)
5R Finals West & Extra Matches
Rafe Samuel (DU) def. Darrshan Suresh Kumar (UM) 6-0, 5-7, 1-0(8)
Roman Glarner (DU) def. Joseph Townes (UM) 7-5, 4-6, 1-0(14)
Doubles
Main R32
Srivatsa/Neira Rodriguez (UNM) def. Suresh Kumar/Townes (UM) 7-5
Leaird/Lee (AF) def. McCarty/Watkins (UM) 6-4
Main R16
Meyer/Upton (UM) def. Wang/Glasl (UI) 7-6(5)
Consolation R16
Suresh Kumar/Townes (UM) def. Lavine/Butler (UNM) 6-3
Lecoq/Malan (WSU) def. McCarty/Watkins (UM) 7-6(4)
Main Quarters
Igesund/De Klerk (MSU) def. Meyer/Upton (UM) 7-6(6)
Consolation Quarters
Suresh Kumar/Townes (UM) def. De Col/Martin (UI) 6-4
Consolation Semis
Staton/Chow (AF) def. Suresh Kumar/Townes (UM) 6-2
South (Lose, Lose, Win)
McCarty/Watkins (UM) def. Dils/Labitzke Ret. (Inj.)
Lavine/Butler (UNM/WSU) def. McCarty/Watkins (UM) 6-4
Northeast (Win, Win, Lose)
Meyer/Upton (UM) def. Lis/Vladimirov (UI) 6-1
Extra Matches
Suresh Kumar/Townes (UM) def. Glarner/Samuel (DU) 6-4
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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