The University of Houston made history this month, capturing their first-ever wheelchair tennis national title at the ITA National Wheelchair Tennis Championships. In classic underdog fashion, the third-seeded Cougars ousted the top-ranked San Diego State, with the Houston Chronicle reporting the final showdown came down to Jose Arriaga's nail-biting 10-point tiebreaker.

Arriaga, who had been a fixture in Houston's community program for a decade, found his championship moment after dropping the second set. "I changed my mind," Arriaga told the Houston Chronicle. "I had him and I just let it go." His victory was not just a personal triumph, but an emblem of success for an university consistently building its adaptive athletics portfolio.

The Cougars' road to victory consisted of impressive group-play matches, where they steamrolled opponents, surrendering only a single game out of 65, as per the university's announcement. It was a testament to the duo's synchronicity, with Arriaga's singles prowess complemented by his and fellow player Nicholas Tijerina's doubles match victory.

Tijerina, a master’s student in engineering, is relatively new to the scene, having started playing wheelchair tennis in November 2021. His rapid progress is a clear indication of the program’s strength in not only fostering athletic skill but also nurturing passion. Michael Cottingham, director of Adaptive Athletics at UH, has high hopes for the program's future. He's eyeing fully funded scholarships and is preparing to host international showcases, according to the university.

Head Coach Gabriel Gutierrez, who was named the 2024 ITA Wheelchair Coach of the Year, has invested six years in the team, becoming the linchpin of its growth. "This program becomes family for every person that touches it," Gutierrez said in the Houston Chronicle interview. His contribution demonstrates Houston's commitment to adaptive athletics, providing not just a sports program, but an all-inclusive support system for a athletes with disabilities.

With the resilience of a squad dubbed "an army of three," the Houston team has set a new standard for wheelchair tennis in collegiate sports, combining community outreach and competitive spirit. Cottingham's dream of expanding into power soccer and bolstering scholarships just might see the light, now that Houston has secured its place atop the national stage.