2014-15 Men's Tennis Athletes of the Week

 
  • Athlete of the Week - Alec De Ryckere, Merchant Marine
    April 27, 2015
    (Jr., San Diego, Calif.) De Ryckere was a perfect 3-0 in his singles matchups this week and earned the match-clinching victory in both of the Mariners' Landmark contests. His come-from-behind three-set win at #5 at Elizabethtown on Friday sealed the win for USMMA, as did his straight-set victory at home on Saturday against Scranton, which clinched the Mariners' first trip to the Landmark playoffs in program history. The junior was also 2-1 in doubles action with classmate Josh Levitas, including an important close victory over Scranton's #3 doubles pair.
     
  • Athlete of the Week - Dean Polisena, Juniata
    April 20, 2015
    (So., Adelaide, Australia) Polisena helped the Eagles clinch the No. 1 seed in the Landmark postseason tournament next week with a pair of victories over Goucher in a matchup of 6-0 teams on Saturday. He teamed with Matyas Kohout to hand Seth Hoesman and Joey Caracappa an 8-6 defeat at No.1 doubles, sending the Gopher duo to just their second dual loss of the season. Polisena then improved his dual singles record to 10-5 with a 6-1, 7-6 win over Caracappa at No. 1. Juniata would go on to win the match by a 7-2 final margin. This is the second time in his Eagle career that Polisena has received AOTW recognition.
     
  • Athlete of the Week - James Hicks, USMMA
    April 13, 2015
    (So., Haddon Heights, N.J.) Hicks helped lead the Mariners to a 2-1 week after going 3-0 at No. 2 singles in three-straight Landmark matches. He defeated Drew's Tommy Butschi, 6-3, 6-7 (8), 6-2, on Wednesday. On Saturday, Hicks handed Juniata's Matyas Kohout his first conference loss in a three-set thriller 7-5, 3-6, 1-0 (12-10). He wrapped up his perfect singles week with a 6-0, 6-0 shutout victory over Susquehanna's Matthew Weller. In doubles action, Hicks was 2-1 with freshman partner Jake McDonough. His only loss was a close 8-3 decision vs. Juniata on Saturday. The duo defeated Drew's #1 doubles flight, 8-3, on Wednesday and Susquehanna's #1 doubles on Sunday, 8-1. Hicks is on a seven-match singles winning streak and his overall record is 7-2. In doubles, he and McDonough are 5-4.
     
  • Athlete of the Week - Midori Fujitani, Goucher
    April 06, 2015
    (So., Tokyo, Japan) Fujitani won both of his matches on Saturday, as Goucher topped Moravian 7-2 in a battle of unbeaten Landmark teams. He picked up a 6-0, 6-3 victory at No. 4 singles, and he teamed with Jack Hodges for an 8-5 win at No. 2 doubles. The Gophers have now won five straight matches overall, and they are 4-0 in Landmark play. Fujitani has gone 9-0 across singles and doubles during the current winning streak. That includes a 5-0 singles record, and his 12 singles wins overall this season are tied for the team lead.
     
  • Athlete of the Week - Seth Hoesman, Goucher
    March 30, 2015
    (Jr., Ellicott City, Md.) Hoesman went 6-0 across three conference matches, as Goucher improved to 3-0 in conference play for the first time since the formation of the Landmark. All three singles were in straight sets, and he improved to 10-2 in dual singles matches this year. Hoesman and partner Joey Caracappa, meanwhile, are now a perfect 11-0 in dual doubles matches. The Gophers, who have won four straight, won 25 of 27 contested matches over the weekend against Drew, USMMA and Susquehanna. Hoesman receives AOTW recognition for the second time this season and fourth in his career.
     
  • Athlete of the Week - Matyas Kohout, Juniata
    March 23, 2015
    (Fr., Krhanice, Czech Republic) Kohout won a pair of matches on Saturday to help the Eagles cruise to an 8-1 win over Catholic in a rematch of last year's Landmark championship match. He and Dean Polisena trailed 6-3 at No. 1 doubles, but the duo rallied for a 9-8 triumph after winning a super tiebreaker. Kohout then held off Jon Lasota 6-0, 3-6, 1-0 (10-4) at No. 2 singles as Juniata earned its second team victory of the season.
     
  • Athlete of the Week - Matt Tuorto, Moravian
    March 16, 2015
    (Jr., Verona, N.J.) Tuorto won two of his three matches at No. 1 singles during Moravian's spring break trip in Orlando, Fla., last week. He picked up straight-set victories over Monmouth (Ill.) and Cornell (Iowa), and also teamed with John Wylie at No. 1 doubles for an 8-6 triumph during the Greyhounds' 6-2 win over Cornell.
     
  • Athlete of the Week - Jack Hodges, Goucher
    March 09, 2015
    (Fr., London, England) Hodges picked up two points in Goucher's 7-2 victory over St. Mary's (Md.) on Sunday. The Gophers had lost to the Seahawks in each of the previous five seasons. He teamed with Britt Shortle for a tight 9-7 win at No. 2 doubles, giving Goucher a 2-1 advantage heading into singles play, and he then cruised to a 6-0, 6-0 victory at the No. 3 singles position. Hodges has won each of his first two collegiate singles matches in straight sets.
     
  • Athlete of the Week - Joey Caracappa, Goucher
    March 02, 2015
    (Fr., Wesley Chapel, Fla.) Caracappa picked up singles and doubles points for the Gophers during their 6-3 setback at Washington (Md.) on Thursday. He improved to 3-0 in dual doubles matches after teaming with Seth Hoesman for an 8-6 victory from the No. 1 position. Caracappa then outlasted Dan Boate for a 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (5) triumph at the No. 2 singles spot. He has won all four of his dual singles matchups to begin his collegiate career. This is the second time Caracappa has received AOTW recognition in 2014-15.
     
  • Athlete of the Week - John Wylie, Moravian
    February 23, 2015
    (Jr., Schnecksville, Pa.) Wylie helped the Greyhounds open the spring portion of their season with a 9-0 win over Baptist Bible College at the Birchwood Racquet Club on Saturday. He partnered with Matt Tuorto for an 8-0 win at first doubles, and then he posted a 6-2, 6-2 win at second singles in the match as Moravian improved to 3-0 on the year.
     
  • Athlete of the Week - Seth Hoesman, Goucher
    October 06, 2014
    (Jr., Ellicott City, Md.) Hoesman picked up wins at No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles on Friday as Goucher defeated McDaniel 6-2. Hoesman won 6-4, 6-4 in singles and teamed up with John Bescoby to win 8-4 in doubles.
     
  • Athlete of the Week - Sho Sato, Juniata
    September 29, 2014
    (Fr., Shiga, Japan) Sato won all four of his matches to claim the championship in the B7 draw at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Championships this past weekend. He never lost more than three games in any of the four matches that he competed in defeating players from Shenandoah, St. Mary’s (Md.), Salisbury, and Grove City.
     
  • Athlete of the Week - Joey Caracappa, Goucher
    September 22, 2014
    (Fr., Wesley Chapel, Fla.) Caracappa dropped just three games in his first two collegiate singles matches. His two victories in the season opener helped Goucher edge out a road win over Penn St. Harrisburg, the Gophers' first season opening victory since joining the Landmark Conference. Caracappa grabbed another win at No. 2 singles and teamed up with Seth Hoesman to earn a win at No. 1 doubles for two of the Gophers’ three victories in a 6-3 loss to York (Pa.) on Saturday.
     
  • Athlete of the Week - Lewis Cooper, Moravian
    September 15, 2014
    (Sr., Royersford, Pa.) Cooper led the Greyhounds to a 1-0 record last with a non-conference win over Albright College, and he partnered with sophomore Giovanni Lombardi to win the second doubles flight at the Mule Fall Classic hosted by Muhlenberg College on Sunday. Cooper was 2-1 in singles action during the week with the only set back coming in the finals of the third singles flight at the Mule Fall Classic. Cooper and Lombardi combined for a 3-0 mark in doubles including winning the Mule Fall Classic on a tiebreaker in the finals.
     
  • Athlete of the Week - Lewis Cooper, Moravian
    September 08, 2014
    (Sr., Royersford, Pa.) Cooper led Moravian to a 9-0 season opening win at Delaware Valley in the first fall match of his career. Cooper, who had played on Moravian's men's soccer team the last three seasons, helped the squad to the sweep as the Aggies were playing their first varsity match in over 50 years. The senior captain posted a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles, and Cooper teamed with sophomore Giovanni Lombardi for an 8-0 win at second doubles as Moravian only dropped one total game in the match.