Collin College Men's Tennis Duo Brings Home ITA Cup National Championship

Collin College men’s tennis players Theo Cabre and Boitshepo Maake secured a national championship, capturing the junior college men’s doubles title at the 2026 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Cup, held Oct. 15-18 at the Rome Tennis Center in Rome, Georgia.

Entering the tournament as the No. 3 seed, the Cougars doubles pairing battled through a competitive field on their way to the championship match. In the quarterfinals, Cabre and Maake rallied after dropping the opening set to defeat the pair from Weatherford College, 3-6, 7-5, 10-6, securing their spot in the semifinals. 

The duo advanced to the final, where they faced the No. 1-seeded pair from Pratt Community College. Cabre and Maake delivered a commanding performance, defeating the top-seeded duo in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2, to clinch the national title. 

The championship run followed a strong showing at the ITA Regional tournament in Tyler, Texas, where Cabre and Maake competed together for the first time and advanced to the doubles final. Despite dropping the opening sets in their first two matches at nationals, the pair stayed composed and found their rhythm as the tournament progressed. 

“Our first time playing together was at regionals, where we reached finals,” Cabre said. “I knew we could do well at nationals by showing energy on the court, believing in ourselves, and playing our best doubles game.” 

When asked about the championship, Maake shared his favorite quote from Julius Aleksandrovas: “Champions become champions before they become champions.” 

Collin College men’s tennis coach Santiago Nanez said the duo’s success was built on their ability to adjust under pressure, execute their game plan and support one another throughout the tournament. 

“Whatever was thrown at them, they had an answer for. Multiple times their backs were against the wall, and they had very little room for error, but they still came out victorious,” Nanez said. “I’m very proud of their success.”

With the national championship secured, the Cougars will look to carry that momentum into the spring season. 

If you want to stay up to date on Collin College men’s tennis, visit the Cougar athletics webpage. To view complete tournament results, visit the 2026 ITA Cup tournament website.

Collin College serves more than 62,000 credit and continuing education students annually and offers more than 200 degrees and certificates, including a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), a Bachelor of Applied Technology (BAT) in Cybersecurity, a Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) in Construction Management, a Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) in Clinical Operations Management, and a new Bachelor of Applied Technology (BAT) in Software Development. The only public college based in Collin County, Collin College is a partner to business, government, and industry, providing customized training and workforce development. For more information, visit www.collin.edu. 

###

Photo credit: Nick Young, Collin College photographer 

---

Back to Newsroom