Final Stats

By Michael Eldridge | @DFWSportsMike

MIDLAND, Texas - The defending Sun Belt Conference champions opened up the 2016-17 season at the Racquet Club Collegiate Invitational in Midland, Texas with quality wins in the field.

Jhonathan Gonzalez and Mauricio Del Rio upsetting the eight-ranked team from Rice of Tommy Bennett and David Warren highlighted the three-day tournament.

"Overall it was a really great tournament," UTA coach Diego Benitez said. "The guys played awesome this weekend. Jhonathan and Mauricio beating the No. 22 ranked team in the nation just highlighted the weekend. Overall everyone had solid performances in singles and doubles as well."

Gonzalez and Del Rio began their trek to the tournament's semifinals with an opening-round win vs. the Sheehy brothers of Abilene Christian before the 8-5 win over the Rice squad. The group nearly reached the final, but fell in a heartbreaker to Texas 8-7.

In singles, the Mavericks had quality wins in the Round of 64, but it was just Nuez who would play in the Round of 16 before falling to Auburn's Olle Thestrup.

UTA returns to action on Friday as it begins the three-day Rice Invitational in Houston.