NEW ORLEANS — Ivan Vazquez is the lone newcomer this semester on the 2023-24 Xavier University of Louisiana men's tennis roster.
        At 6-foot-6, Vazquez is the tallest Gold Rush player during Alan Green's 21 seasons as head coach. VanDer Woody (6-5), a sophomore teammate of Vazquez, previously held that distinction.
        Vazquez is a right-handed freshman from Cadiz, a port city in southwest Spain, and is majoring in business management at XULA. He won 40 singles championships during his career, including an 18s title at the Champion Bowl in Spain in 2021.
        Other Gold Rush returnees are Julius Hell, Dedric Ray, Jered Wilson and ITA NAIA All-Americans Jacobi Bain and Nereo Suarez. Also back is Langston Williams, who was on the team in 2020-21.
        Wilson was the men's recipient of the ITA NAIA National Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship Award for 2022-23.
        The XULA men — 18-7 in dual matches, a repeat NAIA unaffiliated group tournament champion, a quarterfinalist at NAIA nationals and No. 7 in the final NAIA coaches poll last season — and women will begin the season Thursday at the HBCU National Championships at South Fulton Tennis Center in College Park, Ga.