COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - UNLV's Henner Nehles was named the Mountain West Conference men's tennis Player of the Year, while Maja Kovacek and Iva Gersic of New Mexico garnered women's Co-Players of the Year honors, as announced by the conference office at the men's and women's tennis championships banquet in San Diego, Wednesday evening.
In singles play on the men's side, regular-season champion San Diego State and New Mexico each had three selections to the all-conference team, while UNLV, BYU and Air Force each had two players named. Utah had one player honored. In doubles, BYU had two teams named, while New Mexico, Utah, UNLV and San Diego State had one team apiece.
Maja Kovacek and Iva Gersic of New Mexico garnered women's Co-Players of the Year honors.
On the women's side in singles, regular-season champion BYU had four players selected, while New Mexico and UNLV had three players apiece. Utah had two players honored, while San Diego State and Colorado State garnered one selection each. New Mexico, BYU and San Diego State each had two doubles team, while UNLV had one team selected.
Max Jones of New Mexico earned Freshman of the Year honors for the men, while James Ludlow of BYU garnered the Sportsmanship Award. Nehles of UNLV, Shannon Buck of Air Force and David Kowalski of New Mexico were named to the all-MWC singles team for the third consecutive season, while Markus Dickhardt of San Diego State, Ryan Stotland of New Mexico and Tyler McClung of Air Force each earned their second consecutive award. The doubles team of Stotland and Kowalski earned its second straight selection.
On the women's side, Elena Gantcheva of UNLV earned Freshman of the Year honors, while Kat Bushey of Air Force was given the Sportsmanship Award. Gyorgyi Zsiros of UNLV earned her fourth consecutive all-conference honor, the first-ever women's player to earn four straight all-MWC honors, while Kovacek was selected for the third time. Gersic, BYU's Lauren Jones, CSU's Emily Kirchem, Dita Hauerlandova of San Diego State, Michelle Heidbrink of New Mexico, Sofia Holden of BYU and UNLV's Anne Claire Ortiz-Luis all earned their second straight award.
The Mountain West Conference Men's and Women's Tennis Championships begin Thursday at 10 a.m. at the Barnes Tennis Center in San Diego, Calif.
2005 all-Mountain West Conference Men's Tennis Team
Singles
**Henner Nehles, Sr., UNLV
**Shannon Buck, Jr., Air Force
Benedikt Stronk, Jr., San Diego State
*Markus Dickhardt, So., San Diego State
Joel Kielbowicz, Jr., UNLV
Nima Roshan, Jr., BYU
*Ryan Stotland, Sr., New Mexico
Max Jones, Fr., New Mexico
*Tyler McClung, Sr., Air Force
**David Kowalski, Sr., New Mexico
Tomasz Grzyb, Fr., Utah
James Ludlow, So., BYU
Armando Carrascosa, Sr., San Diego State
Doubles
Zach Ganger/Miron Mann, Utah
*Ryan Stotland/David Kowalski, New Mexico
Jose Lechuga/Nima Roshan, BYU
David Campbell/Joel Kielbowicz, UNLV
Dominik Kaufhold/James Ludlow, BYU
Dontia Haynes/Daniel Jung, San Diego State
Player of the Year: Henner Nehles, UNLV Freshman of the Year: Max Jones, New Mexico Sportsmanship Award: James Ludlow, BYU
**three-time all-MWC selection
*repeat selection
2005 all-Mountain West Conference Women's Tennis Team
Singles
**Maja Kovacek, Jr., New Mexico
*Iva Gersic, So., New Mexico
Elena Gantcheva, Fr., UNLV
*Lauren Jones, So., BYU
Olga Boulytcheva, Jr., BYU
Anastasia Sourkova, Fr., BYU
***Gyorgyi Zsiros, Sr., UNLV
*Emily Kirchem, So., Colorado State
*Dita Hauerlandova, Jr., San Diego State
*Michelle Heidbrink, Sr., New Mexico
*Sofia Holden, So., BYU
*Anne Claire Ortiz-Luis, Sr., UNLV
Elizabeth Ferris, Fr., Utah
Emily Kwok, Fr., Utah
Doubles
Iva Gersic/Maja Kovacek, New Mexico
Anastasia Sourkova/Jennifer Miccoli, BYU
Elena Gantcheva/Sharon Marin, UNLV
Indra Erichsen/Nina Spaeth, San Diego State
Michelle Heidbrink/Tiffany Robertson, New Mexico
Lauren Jones/Dolly Chang, BYU
Dita Hauerlandova/Alesya Vidov, San Diego State
Co-Players of the Year: Maja Kovacek, New Mexico
Iva Gersic, New Mexico Freshman of the Year: Elena Gantcheva, UNLV Sportsmanship Award: Kat Bushey, Air Force
Henner Nehles (UNLV) - Men's Player of the Year, all-MWC singles
Henner Nehles, who has played No. 1 singles for UNLV this year, is currently ranked No. 95 in the nation. Nehles has an overall record of 26-8, and was a perfect 5-0 in MWC play. He has been ranked as high as No. 63 nationally. This is his third consecutive all-MWC honor.
Maja Kovacek (New Mexico) - Women's Co-Player of the Year, all-MWC singles and doubles
Maja Kovacek has played No. 1 and 2 singles and No. 1 doubles for New Mexico this season. She is currently ranked No. 46 in the nation in singles and No. 8 in the nation with Iva Gersic in doubles. Kovacek is 28-8 this season, including 6-1 in MWC play in singles play, while Kovacek and Gersic are 32-6 in doubles. She has been ranked as high as No. 4 nationally with Gersic in doubles play. Kovacek has won three straight all-MWC honors in both singles and doubles.
Iva Gersic (New Mexico) - Women's Co-Player of the Year, all-MWC singles and doubles
Iva Gersic has played No. 1 and 2 singles and No. 1 doubles for the Lobos this season. She is currently ranked No. 85 in the nation in singles and No. 8 in the nation in doubles with Maja Kovacek. Gersic did not drop a match in MWC play this year, singles or doubles. She is 28-5 overall in singles play, while Gersic and Kovacek are 32-6 on the doubles court. Gersic won her second straight all-MWC award in both singles and doubles.
