FEATURE: Jose Perez Keeps Battling; Effort Lifts Ferris State Men's Tennis To D2 Sweet Sixteen
By Sandy Gholston
BIG RAPIDS, Mich. – Jose Perez was battling a tough opponent and a nagging injury, with an NCAA Division II regional title and a trip to Arizona for the national championships on the line.
Facing adversity at No. 2 singles, Perez took the first set 6-4 against Northwood's Andrey Pikulin in a match that included long rallies down the stretch to keep Perez moving as much as possible on Tuesday, May 12, at home in the Racquet and Fitness Center.
As the second set continued, Perez played through the pain and battled back to force a tiebreaker before he emerged victorious following a long rally for a 7-6 win that clinched the team victory and ignited a celebration on the court for Ferris State.
Still catching his breath, and nearly overcome with emotions, Perez took a moment to pull his thoughts together minutes after an emotional win.
"I have no words. I don't even know what to say. I was out there trying to give it my all," said Perez, the sophomore from Quito, Ecuador. "Through everything, I told coach (Mark Doren) that I will go out there and give it my all, that I'll do my best to win and take us to Arizona."
This spring's NCAA Division II National Championships are being hosted in Surprise, Arizona, where the Bulldogs will face Washburn University in the round of 16 on May 20.
"I don't know how to explain why, but I got lucky enough to be the clincher for the win over Drury and the win over Northwood," said Perez, who recently earned the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Midwest Region Most Improved Player Award.
The Bulldogs' 4-1 win over Northwood followed a 4-1 win over Drury during the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
The two victories extend what has already been a special season for the men's tennis team, which won the GLIAC championship on April 25.
This 2026 Bulldog team adds to a rich tradition of tennis excellence at Ferris State.
"Well, Ferris has such a huge legacy in tennis. When you look around the facility, you can see it everywhere – the banners, everything," Perez said. "We're proud to be part of that tradition. Now, our goal is to keep it going as long as possible at nationals."
On a Bulldog roster with several seniors, including Felipe Iser, Erik Kovacs and Kacper Pasielak, this win was even sweeter.
"We have seniors that have never reached nationals. That was a main goal for us," said Perez, who earned GLIAC Men's Tennis Player of the Week honors earlier in the season in February. "That was one of the reasons I wanted to give it my all for the seniors. I'm giving it my all for this university that I love."
He gave it his all in the clinching match.
"I think the adrenaline helped me a lot to finish the match, to help us get the win," said Perez, who also credited assistant athletic trainer Allyson French for treatment efforts that helped him power through to get the win.
In the Racquet and Fitness Center, with walls of banners that speak to the history of success on the tennis courts, Perez knows this team — which still has work to do — will now have its place among Ferris State's best teams.
"It means everything. This is what we work hard and practice hard for," he said. "We've talked about this, when we talk about our goals, and it feels good to see the hard work pay off. But now we know there's more work ahead."
Ferris State drew the No. 10 seed in the 16-team bracket released by the NCAA. The Bulldogs will face No. 7 seed Washburn at 3 p.m. May 20 at the Surprise Tennis and Racquet Complex.