Sophomore Jack Loutit has secured his place in the 2024 NCAA Singles Championship with a dominant 6-2, 6-2 win over Julien Penzlin of LSU in the quarterfinals of the ITA South Sectional. The Auckland, New Zealand native’s straight-set victory on Sunday morning at the Scott Speicher Memorial Tennis Complex in Tallahassee, Florida, earned him one of six qualifying spots from the inaugural ITA South Sectional event.
Loutit’s triumph extends the streak of at least one Kentucky Wildcat qualifying for the NCAA Singles Tournament to five consecutive seasons. This marks the first year the NCAA Singles & Doubles Championships will be held in the fall as part of a two-year pilot program aimed at distributing the schedule more evenly. Traditionally held in May, the championships will take place from November 19-24 at the Hurd Tennis Center in Waco, Texas.
The singles draw will feature 64 players, with one match scheduled each day of the six-day competition. Players earned their spots through four ITA events during the fall season, with Loutit’s qualification coming from his strong showing in the ITA South Sectional.
Loutit’s path to the championship included impressive victories over former Wildcat teammate Christophe Clement of Georgia Tech and Vanderbilt’s Hugo Coquelin. Loutit advanced to the quarterfinals with a 6-2, 7-6 (1) win over Clement, despite a rain delay that moved the match indoors. He then defeated Coquelin 6-2, 6-0 to secure his spot in the semifinals.
Though he fell to No. 24 Jeremy Jin of Florida in the semifinals with a 6-3, 6-3 loss, Loutit was not finished. As one of the four quarterfinal losers, he still had one final chance to secure his NCAA berth. With his fall season on the line, Loutit delivered a strong performance against Penzlin, wrapping up the match in just over 70 minutes to clinch his NCAA qualification.
The NCAA Singles & Doubles Championships will take place November 19-24 in Waco, Texas, where Loutit will compete for a national title. The draw for the tournament will be announced on November 16.
