Cowboys host weekend of matches at the GTC

Friday, February 13

Stillwater, Okla.

5 p.m.

Oklahoma State University

Tulsa

February 12, 2026 | Cowboy Tennis

Match Notes

Oklahoma State Cowboys
(6-2, 0-0 Big 12) | Head Coach: Dustin Taylor (Fifth Season)
vs.
Tulsa Golden Hurricane | 5 p.m. CT
(7-5, 0-0 American) | Head Coach: Vince Westbrook (35th Season)
&
Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders | 11 a.m. CT
(6-2, 0-0 CUSA) | Head Coach: Jimmy Borendame (16th Season)

Match 9 | Tulsa | Feb. 13, 2026
Venue: Greenwood Tennis Center
Stream: https://okla.st/WatchvsTulsa
Stats: https://okla.st/OSUvsTulsaMTSU

Match 10 | Middle Tennessee State | Feb. 15, 2026
Venue: Greenwood Tennis Center
Stream: https://okla.st/WatchvsMTSU
Stats: https://okla.st/OSUvsTulsaMTSU

Social Media: @CowboyTennis

The Basics
The Oklahoma State men's tennis team will go for its eighth win in its first 10 matches of the 2026 season as they host two matches this weekend. Friday night will see a primetime matchup with in-state rival Tulsa, with play beginning at 5 p.m., while Sunday will feature a match with Middle Tennessee State starting at 11 a.m. The Pokes are coming off three-straight wins, including a dramatic 4-3 victory at Arkansas last Sunday. OSU has been dominant at the Greenwood Tennis Center to open the season, winning all five home matches in shutout fashion, 7-0.

Newcomers Making Their Names Known
The Cowboys have been fueled by the newcomers of the program. Starting with Georgia Southern transfer Aaron Williams, he has started his Cowboy career with near-perfection, going 7-1, including a key comeback win over Yale's Jim Ji, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(5), to keep the Pokes in the match with the Bulldogs. The All-Sun Belt player has shined just as bright in doubles, winning six of his first seven, including a signature victory with partner Nicolas Kobelt over Princeton's No. 2 doubles team, 7-6(6), to take the doubles point against the Tigers. Freshmen Haydar Gokpinar and Charlie Valentine have shined to start their Cowboy careers. Gokpinar is 6-0 and sealed the match against Arkansas with a comeback win over Eric Padgham, 6-7(4), 7-6(3), 6-1. The tiebreaker loss in the first set is the Turkish-natives only dropped set in 2026. Valentine picked up two victories over the weekend to improve to 4-0, still without dropping a set.

In The Rankings
As of January 7, the Cowboys checked in at No. 6 in the Big 12 Preseason Coaches' Poll. No Cowboys or Cowboy pairings are featured in the rankings as of Feb. 4.

Series History
Oklahoma State and Tulsa will matchup for the 65^th time on Friday. The Cowboys have picked up six-straight against the Golden Hurricane, with the last Tulsa win coming in 2019, 4-3. OSU has defeated Tulsa 48 times; that's more than any other opponent in OSU history. The two have played at least once a year since 1999, excluding the shortened 2020 season.

Oklahoma State will take on Middle Tennessee State for the fifth-straight year on Sunday morning, with the series split at two matches a piece. Last season, MTSU defeated the Cowboys in Murfreesboro, 5-2, while the Cowboys last took down the Blue Raiders in 2024 at the Greenwood Tennis Center. The signature win in the series came in 2023 when the Cowboys defeated the then 21^st-ranked Blue Raiders on the road, 4-3, picking up three ranked wins en route to the upset.

Streaks & Trends
·      OSU has won three straight matches
·      OSU has won seven of eight doubles points this season
·      OSU has won six straight matches against Tulsa
·      Haydar Gokpinar is 6-0 in singles on the season
·      Charlie Valentine has not lost a set this season
·      Aaron Williams and Nicolas Kobelt are 6-1 this season
·      Alessio Basile has only dropped one doubles match with his two partners
·      OSU is a combined 16-0 on courts five and six
·      Ian Bracks has wins on every court except six
·      OSU has 45 total team points through eight matches (most since 1987)
·      Most points through eight matches in the Taylor era

A Pair of Oklahoma State Wins Would…