There will always be moments in sports immortalized in the history books. 

But what about teams whose greatness isn’t defined by a single shot, serve or swing? What about those teams that, day in and day out, are so dominant that there isn’t any space left in the book for that one moment? Teams whose seasons are so prolific that while it may be the ultimate objective, a trophy is simply the final page to a long-lasting epic.

No. 3 Texas men’s tennis sliced through the Southeastern Conference with a 13–1 record, dropping only their finale against Tennessee — a match played without three regulars and the conference No. 1 seed already locked up. But by then, the chapter had already been written, and the outright SEC regular season champions only had a few pages left to go — starting with this weekend’s conference tournament in Columbia, South Carolina.

The team’s success starts at the top with head coach Bruce Berque, who, in his sixth year at the helm, has produced yet another national contender. 

If you asked the New Jersey native himself, he would credit the team’s instinctual ability to rise up and take control when it matters most. In a time when good culture and chemistry are needed more than ever, Berque has managed to pull the strings without tightening them too much.

“I feel like we haven’t missed a beat with respect to our culture … so I definitely trust them,” Berque said. “I feel like when things are going well, I’m saying a little bit less, and they’re saying a little bit more.”

Elite teams don’t earn that status without elite players, and the Texas locker room is full of them. Redshirt freshman and No. 2 Timo Legout has become a point-producing force. With a 31–3 singles record and an undefeated SEC slate, Legout has been inevitable. As the only top-10 nationally ranked player in the conference, expect the Frenchman to once again make his mark in Columbia.

Another key name is junior Sebastian Gorzny, ranked No. 22 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association polls. Despite grappling through injuries, Gorzny managed an 18–8 singles season, with a 6–3 record against some of the best the SEC has to offer. 

Leadership won’t show up in the boxscore, but it’s felt by how a team shows up every day. For Gorzny, that means staying present. With a long season behind them and a postseason looming, he’s emphasized the importance of focusing on what’s in front of them.

“Yeah, I mean, everyone’s getting a little tired,” Gorzny said. “We’ve been on the road, and (the mindset is) just keep taking it a day at a time. Have a great practice one day at a time, and (do) not take anything for granted. I mean, there’s only so many matches left in the season (and) we wanna win ’em all.”

As the Longhorn squad approaches their final chapter of the season, this Texas team hopes to hoist a trophy on the final page of this saga.  

No. 3 Texas opens its SEC tournament run Friday at 1 p.m. against the winner of No. 34 Auburn vs. No. 36 Kentucky.