A pair of Ferris State University men's tennis standouts, seniors Benjamin Lortie (Gatineau, Quebec) and Jan Koupil (Stockholm, Sweden), have been chosen to compete as an at-large doubles selection for the 2023 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Cup set for this coming week in Rome, Ga.

The duo, who reached the semifinals at the ITA Midwest Regional Championships held in late September, were among the at-large selections chosen from the group of regional finalists and nationally-ranked performers across the country. They will take part in the event Oct. 12-16 and travel to the tournament along with FSU head coach Mark Doren.

The first round of Division II doubles action begins on Thursday with action continuing throughout the weekend based on advancement in the tourney.

Four divisions of collegiate tennis will converge on the Rome Tennis Center at Berry College in Rome, Ga., to take part in the 2023 ITA Cup. Student-athletes will receive an opportunity to qualify for the ITA National Fall Championships, where they will compete in the same tournament as the nation's top Division I players. The ITA Cup serves as an individual national championship for NCAA Division II and III, NAIA and Junior College men and women and has been held in Rome, Georgia, since 2017. The ITA Cup format guarantees at least three matches for all competitors.

Formerly known as the Small College Nationals, the ITA Cup has history dating back to 1986, and it is the only singles and doubles national championship event for the Division II and NAIA levels. Last year, more then 8,000 players took part in nearly 60 regional tournaments to gain entry into the ITA Cup field.

Each division represented will feature between eight and sixteen singles players and eight to sixteen doubles teams, competing in their respective draws.

The Bulldog combination of Lortie and Koupil are one of only 16 doubles teams from the Division II level to receive an ITA Cup berth out of more than 500 doubles tandems that competed in regional competition.