KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association announced new MIAA/GAC Men's Tennis Athletes of the Week for week five of the 2026 spring season, presented by
ClassicCourt – the official tennis surface of the MIAA. Zino Nahiriak was named the Athlete of the Week in the North Division and Ouachita's Ramon Strassmann was named the Athlete of the Week in the South Division.
NORTH DIVISION ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Zino Nahirniak, Washburn
Zino Nahirniak went 2-0 on the week as Washburn continued to face ranked opponents in Florida. The senior delivered a singles point in Washburn's 6-1 win over Charleston on Wednesday (March 4), winning in straight sets at No. 4 singles. He led his No. 4 singles match against Florida Southern when the match was decided, 4-2 Mocs. In Washburn’s loss to No. 5-ranked Flagler College, Nahiriniak was the lone Ichabod point, winning in three sets at No. 4 singles. In doubles action against the Saints, he and Benjamin Fock were tied 4-4 when the point was decided.
SOUTH DIVISION ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Ramon Strassmann, Ouachita
Ramon Strassmann helped Ouachita to a 3-0 last week, moving to 9-1 overall this season. The Tigers beat UT-Dallas 6-0, Hawaii Pacific 4-3, and UT-Permian Basin 4-1, while competing in Texas this week. Against UT-Dallas, Strassmann took down his No. 1 counterpart by scores of 6-1 and 6-4. In the win over Hawaii Pacific, he and teammate Yarin Aebi won 6-3 at No. 1 doubles, followed by a three-set win for Strassmann at No. 1 singles (2-6, 6-0, 6-2). In the Tigers’ final match of the week against UT-Permian Basin, Strassmann and Aebi won 6-4 at No. 2 doubles. He then capped his undefeated week with a 6-4, 6-4 win at No. 1 singles. The senior is currently ranked No. 65 nationally in singles and is 10-0 in singles this spring, all at No. 1. He and Aebi are 7-2 in doubles.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:
Alexander Edley, Northeastern State [SOUTH DIVISION]
Alexander Edley won his fourth consecutive singles match in the Northeastern State’s 5-2 loss to NCAA Division I’s North Dakota at home last Monday (March 8). The sophomore was one of two RiverHawks to win their singles match, defeating North Dakota’s Justin Ilic 6-3, 6-3 in the No. 3 slot.
Lucas Nitzschke, Southern Arkansas [SOUTH DIVISION]
Lucas Ntizschke went 2-2 overall on the weekend for the Muleriders as they went 1-1, falling to Northwest Missouri before defeating Arkansas Fort Smith for the Muleriders first MIAA/GAC South Division victory of the season. In the conference win, Nitzschke earned a doubles point at line No. 2 and won his singles match in three sets (3-6, 7-5, 6-3) at the No. 1 position.
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NORTH DIVISION
Week One: Ivan Melnik, Nebraska Kearney
Week Two: Andy Brisdon, Nebraska Kearney
Week Three: Kilian Martinez, Washburn
Week Four: Andy Brisdon, Nebraska Kearney
Week Five: Zino Nahirniak, Washburn
SOUTH DIVISION
Week One: David Campbell, Harding
Week Two: Dalsa Djokovic, Southern Arkansas
Week Three: James Edley, Northeastern State
Week Four: Uwe Diehl, Southern Arkansas
Week Five: Ramon Strassmann, Ouachita