Baylor tennis teams extend decade of dominance with two more Big 12 titles

At this point, the numbers are just getting ridiculous. Including the titles each team clinched last week, Baylor’s men’s and women’s tennis teams have now dominated the Big 12 for a decade; in the past 10 years, the men have won nine regular season titles while the women have won eight (including seven in a row).

Including these two most recent titles, Baylor’s 19 varsity teams have combined to win 24 regular season Big 12 titles since the league’s formation — third-most among Big 12 schools. That number includes not just men’s and women’s tennis, but also baseball, women’s basketball, soccer and softball. And BU has accomplished that feat without even fielding teams in four Big 12 sports (gymnastics, men’s and women’s swimming and diving, and wrestling).

Furthermore, Baylor tennis’ success does not end with the regular season; the two teams have been equally impressive in the Big 12 tournament, which begins this weekend at the Baylor Tennis Center (the women on Thursday, the men on Friday). Head coach Matt Knoll’s men (currently ranked 7th nationally) have won seven of the last nine conference tournaments, while Joey Scrivano’s women (also ranked 7th in the nation) have won five in a row entering the weekend.

[5/2/11 update: The Baylor women added yet another title to their resume, claiming the 2011 Big 12 Tournament championship — their sixth straight tourney title. Baylor now ranks second in the Big 12 in regular-season titles (18) and third in the league in total titles (33) since Ian McCaw was named director of athletics in 2003.]

Sic ’em, Baylor tennis!