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Coming close the past two years, Mississippi College table tennis player Yi Chi Zhang finally paddled his way to the very top as the 2016 men’s collegiate singles champion.
The triumph happened Saturday evening at the National Collegiate Table Tennis Association’s championships in Round Rock, Texas.
A 22-year-old native of the Sichuan Province in China, Zhang defeated other strong opponents, including one of Texas Wesleyan’s aces. Then the MC junior knocked off two potent teammates from the Clinton campus in the semi-finals and finals.
Zhang edged MC Coach and Captain Cheng Li, 23, in the weekend tournament as fans watched a barrage of long volleys between the two fierce competitors. It was a rematch of their showdown at the 2014 national championships near Pittsburgh. Back then in Pennsylvania, Li emerged as the No. 1 men’s collegiate singles player among schools across the USA and Canada.
Facing Li and freshman sensation Qing Wei Sun, 18, provided a few awkward moments for Zhang. “They all are my friends,” Yi Chi Zhang told NCTTA commentator Bryan Song in a post-game interview captured by live streaming cameras.
On Saturday, Li defeated Texas Wesleyan standout Emil Santos, 25, of the Dominican Republic to set up the return match with Zhang. This time in their semi-final with the match tied at three games apiece, Zhang showcased his awesome backhand to win the finale.
The victory over Li, an MC senior, opened the door for Zhang to square off against Sun. A computer science major, Zhang won four straight games to bring home the trophy.
Last April, MC beat 11-time champion Texas Wesleyan at the 2015 NCTTA games in Eau Claire, Wisconsin to capture its first North American championship. For the fifth consecutive year, the two table tennis titans clashed in the finals. This time, the Texas Wesleyan Rams prevailed.
With games tied at two games each, the contest went to doubles. But Cheng Li and his doubles partner Tong Zhang, 26, were bested by Texas Wesleyan’s powerful duo of Zhe Feng, 40, and Jishan Liang, 24. All four doubles players are natives of China where table tennis is king.
MC leaders saluted the four Choctaws standouts who played their hearts out at the Round Rock Sports Center near Austin.
“Congratulations to our great players,” said Vice President Ron Howard. The MC table tennis stars, he said, gave fits to rival TWU and other collegiate teams throughout the March 25-27 tournament. “We could not be more proud of you.” He saluted Yi Chi Zhang as the new men’s singles champ.
Featuring tricky spins and awesome slams, the NCTTA championships attracted 250 collegiate players from schools ranging from New York University to the University of California-Berkeley. MC also out-ranked schools like Duke, UCLA, Michigan, Columbia, Southern Cal, Lindenwood, Northwestern and Canada’s McMaster University. Third place went to newcomer Ohlone College of California.
Mississippi College’s table tennis team closed out its 9th season of play at the championship games in the Lone Star State.
Photo: MC team arrives for practice in late March at the Round Rock Sports Center for the 2016 national championships. Pictured: Coach & Captain Cheng Li, Yi Chi Zhang, Qing Wei Sun and Tong Zhang.
