KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association has announced its first MIAA/GAC Men's Tennis Athletes of the Week for the 2024 season, presented by
Rocket Alumni Solutions.
Washburn’s Tim Hammes was selected as the North Division’s Athlete of the Week and Ouachita’s Phil Exner was selected as the Athlete of the Week in the South Division.
North Division Athlete of the Week – Tim Hammes, Washburn
Tim Hammes collected wins at both No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles for the No. 15-ranked ranked Ichabods to take a 7-0 win over Missouri-St. Louis. The junior won 6-2 and 6-1 sets in singles against Jose Mayorga of the Tritons. Hammes then teamed up with Santiago Rendon – the No. 1-ranked doubles duo in the nation – to begin the spring 1-0 with a 6-2 win on court one in doubles.
South Division Athlete of the Week – Phil Exner, Ouachita
Phil Exner was undefeated opening week of the spring season in both singles and doubles in Ouachita’s team wins over Delta State (7-0) and Southwest Baptist (6-1) at home. In doubles action, Exner and teammate Alex Blanchar – the No. 4-ranked doubles duo in the nation – defeated Delta State’s Harry Browning and Goran Krivokapic 6-1 in second position, then beat Southwest Baptist’s Alejandro Beneyto Sanchez and Bojan Radoman 6-3, also in second position. In singles, Exner – ranked No. 13 nationally – won in straight sets in both matchups in first position, taking down DSU’s Emiliano Elizarraraz (6-0, 6-4) and SBU’s Alejandro Beneyto Sanchez (6-1, 6-0).
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
Ole Valkyser – Southern Arkansas (South Division)
Ole Valkyser collected four wins to help the Muleriders to a 2-0 opening to the spring season with wins over Delta State (7-0) and Southwest Baptist (6-1). The senior downed Delta State’s Jacob Lubbe 6-1, 6-0 and Southwest Baptist’s Alejandro Beneyto 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 in singles, then teamed up with Matt Tennant to defeat DSU’s Jacob Lubbe and Sebastian Hernandez 6-4, and SBU’s Bojan Radoman and Alejandro Beneyto 6-2.
Andrea Zamurri – Northwest Missouri (North Division)
Andrea Zamurri won both his singles and doubles matches in a 4-2 dual win over UMSL. Zamurri defeated UMSL’s Jose Mayorga, 6-3, 6-3 at No. 1 singles. He then teamed up with Fillippo Piranomonte to score a 6-4 win over UMSL’s Juan Vigil and Raphael Kerndl at No. 1 doubles.
Andy Brisdon – Nebraska Kearney (North Division)
Andy Brisdon helped Nebraska Kearney earn its first dual win of the year as the first-year Lopers beat Doane last Saturday. Brisdon went 3-0 in singles, playing twice at No. 6 and one match at No. 4, while also going a combined 2-1 at No. 1/2 doubles.
2024 MIAA/GAC MEN’S TENNIS ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
NORTH DIVISION
WEEK ONE: Tim Hammes – Washburn
SOUTH DIVISION
WEEK ONE: Phil Exner – Ouachita
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