While Christopher Newport looks forward to the return of intercollegiate competitions, our friends at TowneBank are partnering with CNUsports.com to spend some time throughout the fall semester looking back at a few of the more memorable moments in the storied history of the athletic department. Over the course of the next three months, the Captains will honor the anniversary of three dozen record-setting accomplishments, championship-clinching victories, and other historic events in order to celebrate the past while preparing for even more great moments in the future.

AT A GLANCE
After becoming the first Captain in school history to qualify for the Rolex ITA National Small College Championships, Holden Knight put on a show against an accomplished field of standouts while finishing third at the prestigious tournament in Corpus Christi, Texas on October 25, 1992. Helping punctuate a Hall of Fame career, Knight's showcase at the legendary competition eventually vaulted him to fourth in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association National Singles Rankings, which marked the highest position achieved by a Captain.
 
BACKSTORY
Long before he placed his name alongside the top tennis players in the country, Holden Knight was a legend on the local circuit. Following a decorated prep career at Peninsula Catholic, the Newport News native continued his domination in college. As a freshman in 1990, he claimed the Dixie Conference's No. 1 singles title while leading Christopher Newport to its first team crown since 1983. As a sophomore, he added the No. 1 doubles championship to his résumé after marching through the league's best duos alongside Rush Cole.
 
By the time his senior campaign rolled around, Knight was already the king of the conference. The next step? Dominating the region.
 
During the 1992 ITA Small College Southeast Regional Championships in Lexington, Virginia, Knight dismantled his competition. Seeded fourth in the field, he went on to win all 10 sets during the tournament, punctuated by a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Averett's Harri Lahtela in the title bout. That triumph not only gave him the first regional crown in school history, but it also earned him the program's first bid to the ITA National Championships.
 
TOURNAMENT RECAP
Entering the national competition, Knight faced a talented field of competitors comprised of the eight regional victors from around the country. In the quarterfinals at the H.E.B. Tennis Center, he squared off against Andrew Magidoff, the Northeast Champion from SUNY-Binghamton. After splitting the first two sets, Knight ran away with the third and advanced to the semifinals with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 triumph.
 
With a victory already in the books, his next battle was a grueling showdown against a national heavyweight. Claremont's Ryan McKee was the top-seed in the tournament and a three-time national champion. Standing tall against his decorated foe, Knight once again split the first two sets, including a 6-3 triumph in the second frame. Unfortunately, McKee outlasted Christopher Newport's star in the third to earn a spot in the championship bout.
 
Although his title run ended in the semifinals, Knight had one more match on the docket. Battling second-seeded Andy Paley in the consolation finals, he ended his run on a high note. Sweeping the St. Thomas standout in straight sets, Knight placed third in the national field with a 6-4, 6-3 win.
 
POSTSCRIPT
While his starring role at the ITA Nationals capped off the fall season, Knight returned in the spring to wrap up his triumphant campaign. Continuing his march through the Dixie Conference, he won both the No. 1 singles and doubles titles at the league competition. After earning a bid to the NCAA Championships for his efforts, he reached the final eight at the national tournament while becoming just the second Captain to earn All-American accolades.
 
Over the course of his senior campaign, Knight compiled a 24-3 record, which equaled the most victories in a single season in school history. By the time he graduated, he accumulated 68 singles wins, which established a program standard that remained untouched for nearly two decades.
 
Three years after playing his last match with the Captains, Knight returned as an assistant coach. In 1999, he was inducted into the Christopher Newport Athletics Hall of Fame
 
For a full listing of the fall 2020 features published to date, click here.
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