AUBURN, Ala. – For the third-straight season and 12^th time in program history, the No. 3 Florida Gators men's tennis team claimed the SEC title with a 6-1 victory against the No. 27 Auburn Tigers on Sunday afternoon.

With this win, Florida athletics increases its overall SEC championship total to a league-high 254 titles. This marks Florida's third SEC championship of the year as gymnastics, men's swim and dive and men's tennis have all claimed consecutive titles - tennis (3), gymnastics (4) and men's swimming (10).

Florida has also collected at least one SEC team title for 44-straight years, which is the conference's longest streak. Only Florida (2019-22) and Georgia (2006-08; 2013-17) have strung together three or more consecutive titles since the conference began awarding an SEC regular-season men's tennis title in 2000.

The Gators (19-2, 11-0 SEC) picked up where they left off on Friday, winning their 14^th doubles point in a row after taking two matches from Auburn (17-7, 5-5 SEC).

At court one, the No. 22 duo of Sam Riffice and Ben Shelton collected their seventh ranked victory after defeating No. 36 Tad Maclean and Finn Murgett, 6-3. This is their 12^th win of the dual season as they boast a 7-2 record in conference play.

With two matches left on the courts, it would be No. 25 Andy Andrade and Mattias Siimar who, for the fourth-consecutive match, would clinch the doubles point for Florida. Taking on Jan Galka and Tyler Stice at court two, the Gators were on fire as they beat the Tigers pair by a 6-3 score. Andrade and Siimar remain a perfect 10-0 in the SEC, while collecting a 12-2 record at the two doubles spot.

With a 1-0 lead heading into singles, the Gators would need just three singles wins to claim the match and clinch the SEC title.

Lukas Greif made his first appearance at court six since Feb. 19 and made the most of it. Competing against Jackson Ross, Greif would not give up a single game to his opponent, posting a double bagel, 6-0, 6-0, to pick up his first singles win of the dual match season.

Next to give the Gators a point was No. 117 Josh Goodger at court five against Murgett. The senior would easily win his first set by a 6-2 score, but the Tiger would put up a fight in the second set to force a tiebreak. Going down 2-4 in the breaker, Goodger rallied back to win the next five points and win his match in straight-sets, 6-2, 7-6 (4). This is Goodger's 98^th career singles win and seventh-consecutive victory.

Clinching the match for the sixth time this season was No. 108 Vale. At court two, Vale took on Maclean and would win the match in straight-sets, 6-3, 7-5. This victory gives the senior an 8-2 record in conference play and 13 dual singles wins.

Auburn would get one point back with a victory on court one.

However, No. 125 Andrade followed this with a big win at court four against Dobai. The senior won his first set, 6-4, before dropping the next by a 2-6 score. Andrade flipped the switch in the third set by reversing the second-set score and winning his match in three, 6-4, 2-6, 6-2. This win pushes his overall record to 24-8, while he is 16-4 at the No. 4 singles position.

Senior captain and No. 22-ranked player, Riffice, closed the match out with a battle on court two against Galka. Going down in the first set, 2-6, the senior never backed down. Riffice would go on to win the next two sets and tally his 12^th singles win in a row with a 2-6, 6-2, 7-5 score. The Orlando native is a perfect 11-0 in conference and is up to 16 dual match singles victories on the season.

Florida moves to 19-2 overall and is undefeated in the SEC with an 11-0 record. With their win today, the Gators are 15-2 against ranked opponents, with nine coming against teams ranked in the top-30, and are on a 14-match win streak.

NOTABLES

• Florida claims its 12th SEC title and third consecutive (1950, 1961, 1968, 1969, 1975, 1994, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2019, 2021, 2022). Since the league began awarding a SEC regular-season men's tennis title in 2000, only Florida and Georgia (2006-08; 2013-17) have strung together three or more consecutive titles.
• This afternoon's win ups Florida athletics overall SEC total to a league-high 254 titles. 
• This is Florida third SEC team title of the season. All three SEC title programs have claimed consecutive titles – tennis (3 straight), gymnastics (4) and men's swimming (10).
• Florida's picked up at least one SEC team title for 44 consecutive seasons – the league's longest current streak

UP NEXT: The Gators host one final regular season match against the Texas A&M Aggies on Sunday, April 17 at 12:30 p.m. in Gainesville as Florida's five seniors will be recognized prior to the contest for Senior Day.

SINGLES RESULTS
1. #46 Tyler Stice (AUB) def. #1 Ben Shelton (UF), 7-6 (7-5), 0-6, 1-0 (10-5)
2. #22 Sam Riffice (UF) def. Jan Galka (AUB), 2-6, 6-2, 7-5
3. #108 Duarte Vale (UF) def. Tad Maclean (AUB), 6-3, 7-5
4. #125 Andy Andrade (UF) def. Raul Dobai (AUB), 6-4, 2-6, 6-2
5. #117 Josh Goodger (UF) def. Finn Murgett (AUB), 6-2, 7-6 (7-4)
6. Lukas Greif (UF) def. Jackson Ross (AUB), 6-0, 6-0
Order of Finish: 6, 5, 3, 1, 4, 2

DOUBLES RESULTS
1. #22 Sam Riffice/Ben Shelton (UF) def. #36 Tad Maclean/Finn Murgett (AUB), 6-3
2. #25 Andy Andrade/Mattias Siimar (UF) def. Jan Galka/Tyler Stice (AUB), 6-3
3. Raul Dobai/Jackson Ross (AUB) vs. Duarte Vale/Nate Bonetto (UF), 6-5, unfinished
Order of Finish: 1, 2

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