Baris secured his spot in the semifinals with a win over Arizona's Jay Friend, 6-1, 7-5 on Friday in the quarterfinals.

Next, against D.K. Suresh of Wake Forest, Baris advanced the national title, 7-5, 7-6. Suresh controlled the start of the first set, but the reigning Big Ten Player of the Year — and the first-ever for MSU — pushed his way back into the lead and closed out the 7-5 finish. In a back-and-forth second set between the two heavyweights, Baris overcame a 4-1 deficit in the tie-breaker game. 

In the final, Baris was topped in three-set match by Columbia’s Michael Zheng. After losing the first set 6-2, Baris came back with a 6-4 result in the second set.

Zheng went on to win the third set and the Division I NCAA Individual Championship, 6-4. 

"I don’t think I was playing anything wrong tactically," Baris said after the loss. "I just wasn’t making shots. Kudos to Zheng, he’s playing smart where I’m missing those balls, but I felt like I was in control."

The most decorated player in MSU program history was the first Spartan to play in the singles National Championship. He was also the first MSU player to reach two national semifinals, besting his final-four finish in the spring, when he lost to eventual champion Filip Planinsek of Alabama.

"I was just playing to win a National Championship, not just for myself but mostly for Michigan State, so that’s kind of more of a heartbreak," Baris said. "I’m not going to beat myself up any more than losing already does. It’s tough and it’s not the most fun part of the sport, but playing out there was fun. I know that I’m not going to shy away, there are times where in the tight moments, if I lose or I fall a little short, but I come back stronger."

Baris made a lasting mark during his third NCAA Championships appearance, finishing the fall season with a 13-4 record.

Thanos, No. 72 in the ITA, won his first match against Tennessee graduate student Alex Kotzen. He took the first set, 6-2, before rallying past a 4-0 deficit in the second to complete the sweep. 

Thanos came up short in the next round against Arizona senior Colton Smith, winning the first set but losing the last two, 6-4. 

Baris and Thanos will head back to East Lansing and prepare for the upcoming spring season as the Spartans continue to gain traction as a formidable opponent for any team. 

"I’m excited to compete with the team in the spring and try to win a Big Ten Championship with them and not just make, but win NCAAs, so if we were to do that, none of (today's loss) would even matter to me," Baris said. "It really is something special trying to make it happen for MSU, and I’m not going to take that for granted anymore."

MSU will begin its spring season on Jan. 17 at the MSU Indoor Tennis Center.