In the final set of the 2025 ITA Division I Men’s National Team Indoor Championship, graduate student Stefan Dostanic remembered one thing:

“Be grateful for this moment.”

The USC transfer had an impressive yet tumultuous career riddled with a lack of team success and injury before he transferred to Wake Forest following the conclusion of the 2024 outdoor season. In his last full season before being injured, Dostanic boasted All-Pac-12 First Team honors and was ranked as the No. 22 player in all of college tennis.

Winning that match meant everything to him.

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Transferring to Wake Forest wasn’t just a fresh start for Dostanic. He said that “the biggest thing is that there’s a very good culture that’s been established [here].”

At the ITA Team Indoors, all eyes were set on Dostanic’s court in the tournament final against TCU. Dostanic made clutch serves and won crucial points to prevail in the final set against the Horned Frogs’ Jack Pinnington, winning 7-6 (3), 5-7, 6-4, and securing the national title for the Demon Deacons. 

“When you’re out there playing for Wake Forest, you’re playing for more than yourself,” Dostanic said.

National champions aren’t made overnight. A top transfer like Dostanic would improve every collegiate tennis team in the country, but if a team doesn’t have the right values or support from coaches, fans and athletics staff, winning is not a guarantee. At Wake Forest, the undefeated men’s tennis team has built a culture of winning to make it a guarantee.

Smashing attendance records

Men’s Tennis Head Coach Tony Bresky has been coaching tennis for 24 years and has been with Wake Forest for 14. He has seen many athletes and assistant coaches come and go throughout his career. But through it all, one thing remains: the fans.

“Over the last ten years here, we’ve developed an amazing fan base,” Bresky said. “I think people see the excitement around the program now and they see how much the administration is supporting us and our program.”

“We really just want guys to come and chirp and be loud,” said Luca Pow, a sophomore often featured in Bresky’s lineups. 

“I get so much energy from the fans,” said Charlie Robertson, a freshman who features alongside Pow.

During the indoor season, the program broke an attendance record when they faced off against then-No. 3 Ohio State University. Deacon Nation brought out 503 fans, smashing the previous record of 360.

Along with fans, Bresky prioritizes the needs of the players.

 “The coaches have done such a good job of making sure the team comes first,” Pow said.  

“[Bresky]’s willing to take us to tournaments to play and achieve our personal goals,” Robertson said.

That mentality not only molds a winning culture but brings the players together.

“We’re all pushing each other to be better and we want success from everyone. There’s not a selfish mindset,” Donastic said. “We’re a well-functioning unit.”

The coaches don’t need to remind players to work hard. This level of drive and competitiveness is already drilled into each player. “It’s not necessary to win, but [it is necessary] to not give up,” Robertson said.

Although winning means a lot for the team, coaches, and the school itself, it still isn’t everything. 

“We’re all at a pretty similar level but we can push through with our heads and our hearts,” Pow said. “If you love all the guys on the team and you’re all willing to work on and fight for each other, at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter who wins.”

The importance of connectivity 

A successful program doesn’t just have good players, coaches, and fans — the athletic department at Wake Forest is also heavily involved. 

Vice President & Director of Athletics John Currie wants Wake Forest athletics to host the best fan experience in North Carolina.

“Wake Forest University Athletics should represent the hospitality and inclusiveness that we’re all about, right?” said Currie. “Not everybody can get into Wake Forest, not everybody can afford to go to Wake Forest, not everybody can work at Wake Forest; but through athletics, we have a place for anyone to come be part of the Demon Deacon family.”

The integration of fans with sports especially helps programs like Men’s Tennis. Wake Forest Athletics knows this and pushes collaboration across all sports.

“We know there’s going to be way more people at a basketball game than a tennis match, so we’ll have advertising [at basketball] to try to get more people to tennis,” said Levi Williams, Head Marketing Director for Men’s Tennis.

This overlap across sports helps contribute to a tight-knit sports community that not only builds a fun environment for fans and players but also creates a winning culture. 

“We are super connected, and that connectivity is so important here because word of mouth works at Wake Forest better than it does at a big public university,” said Corey Raymond, the Associate Athletic Director of Fan Involvement at Wake Forest.

Athletics also collaborate with coaches and players to ensure they get whatever they need to win. Bresky said this support is evident in every level of the athletics department.

“We have a lot to thank the administration for,” Bresky said. “From all the support staff and the resources to the game day operations, to staff who put on the events, to the security, to our sportsman, our trainer, our strength and conditioning coach, our academic advisor.”

He continued: “I don’t think [our success] would be possible without their support and the support of the community, the fans and our alumni.” 

The men’s tennis team looks to conclude its already-historic season the same way it started. 

“Our goal is to win the ACC regular season, the ACC tournament and then the big one, the national title outside,” Pow said. “We all trust each other. I think there’s a reason why we’ve been unbeaten this year.”

It’s not just about winning or establishing a culture anymore for the tennis team. The faith each athlete has in their teammates pushes them to a different level than other collegiate teams.

“It feels a little bit more like family,” Bresky said.