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China’s Qing Wei Sun remains the newest weapon for the powerful Mississippi College table tennis team seeking to repeat as North America’s champions.
An 18-year-old freshman, Sun represents the future of the MC franchise. Led by Coach and Captain Cheng Li, the MC Choctaws narrowly edged 11-time national champ Texas Wesleyan to win their first table tennis team title last April in Wisconsin.
Whether MC can do it again will be decided at the 2016 TMS National College Table Tennis Championships in Round Rock, Texas. The event March 25-27 in the city known as the Sports Capital of Texas will attract 250 of the best collegiate players across the USA and Canada.
It was an incredible MC triumph that stunned the table tennis world that Sunday evening at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Others watched the lively Olympic sport via live streaming. With Cheng Li teaming with Tong Zhang, MC battled back from a 7-3 deficit to pull out an amazing 12-10 win and hoist the championship trophy. Li and Zhang finished as the No. 1 doubles team in the nation last season.
Mississippi College President Lee Royce salutes the Choctaws squad before they embark on their 521-mile road trip for the 2016 championships. Last season’s No. 1 ranking in North America, he said, “represents an amazing accomplishment and one that we have not seen at MC in many years. Against great odds and with modest support, they achieved success at the national level.”
MC’s squad is finishing its 9th season in National Collegiate Table Tennis Association competition. The NCTTA oversees more than 150 teams, including Princeton, Michigan, Harvard, UCLA, Duke, Penn State, Florida State, Toronto and Texas. But knocking off Texas Wesleyan that recently beat MC in the Regionals on their home court in Fort Worth won’t be easy for the Choctaws.
A business administration major from China, Cheng Li is all business when asked about his team’s chances of another MC championship title. The players competed in several out-of-state tournaments in recent weeks and stepped up practices at Alumni Gym to get ready for Round Rock.
Coached by Jasna Rather, the Texas Wesleyan Rams added two strong players this season. “We must figure out a way to compete with them,” Li says.
He’s delighted to welcome Qing Wei Sun to the MC lineup in January. “With Qing Wei Sun’s help we will have more options than last year. He will be a great choice for doubles.”
Not to be forgotten is Yi Chi Zhang, a 22-year-old computer major from China. He engineered the crucial singles win last April over one of TWU’s stars to force the 2015 championships to go to doubles.
What’s next for Cheng Li? His MC playing days will end at the conclusion of the three-day tournament in Texas. But perhaps he can stick around as coach. MC leaders like Vice President for Academic Affairs Ron Howard made an offer for Cheng Li to work on his MBA at the Baptist-affiliated university and stay as coach for two more years. Li is seriously considering it. “I would love to continue to work at MC.”
Mississippi College finished No. 2 behind champ Texas Wesleyan three straight years before making it to No. 1. Led by coach Ken Qiu, Mississippi College began playing in NCTTA tournaments in 2007-2008. MC ended its first season ranked 14th in the nation, but showed steady improvements to rise to 5th place. Added Dr. Royce: “We remain proud of all their accomplishments and they will always be No. 1 in our hearts.”
For more information on the 2016 national championships and to watch the table tennis games on live streaming, go to nctta.org
Photo: Mississippi College’s 2016 table tennis team: Yi Chi Zhang, Coach & Captain Cheng Li, Qing Wei Sun and Tong Zhang.
