Mid-American Conference

MAC ANNOUNCES 2018 MEN’S TENNIS ALL-MAC TEAMS AND POSTSEASON AWARDS
 
Cleveland, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference (MAC) announced the 2018 Men’s Tennis All-MAC First and Second Teams and specialty awards, including the Player, Newcomer and Coach of the Year, as well as the Jack Vredevelt Sportsmanship Award.
 
Western Michigan senior Maik Steiner was named the MAC Player of the Year and earned All-MAC First Team honors after posting a 15-5 overall record at No. 1 singles, including 7-0 in the MAC.  A native of Erbach, Germany, Steiner also posted a 7-7 overall record at No. 1 doubles in helping the Broncos to the program’s 12th MAC Men’s Tennis Tournament Championship.
 
Western Michigan head Coach Dave Morin was named MAC Coach of the Year. Morin’s Broncos went undefeated in the MAC regular season with a 7-0 record for the No. 1 seed and posted a 4-2 win over No. 2 Buffalo.  For Morin, this marks his 10th MAC Coach of the Year during his career in Kalamazoo, Mich. Morin and the Broncos won the MAC Men’s Tennis Tournament Championship for the ninth time in the last 13 years and the fourth time in the last seven years. 
 
Western Michigan will represent the MAC in the NCAA Men’s Tennis Tournament. The Broncos ended the regular season with a 20-4 overall record and a nine-game winning streak.  With two wins in the MAC Men’s Tennis Tournament increased Western Michigan improved to 22-4 overall and sport a current 11-game winning streak.
 
Northern Illinois freshman Kristopher Ortega was honored as MAC Newcomer of the Year and earned All-MAC First Team. A native of Homer Glen, Ill., Ortega in his first season of collegiate competition at No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 singles with a 12-6 overall record, 4-3 in the MAC. He also played at both No. 1 and No. 2 doubles with a 9-7 overall record, 4-3 in the MAC.
 
Northern Illinois senior Georg Lundkvist was recognized with the Jack Vredevelt Sportsmanship Award, given annually to a senior who has displayed outstanding sportsmanship throughout his career. A native of Linkoping, Sweden, Lundkvist at No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 singles recorded a 11-8 overall record, 4-3 in the MAC. He also played at No. 1 and No. 2 doubles and posted a 12-10 record, 2-4 in the MAC.
 
Western Michigan won the MAC regular season title with an undefeated 7-0 league record, 20-4 overall. The Broncos earned the No. 1 seed and defeated No. 4 seed Ball State, 4-0, and outlasted No. 2 seed Buffalo, 4-2, to win the MAC Men’s Tennis Tournament Championship.
 
Western Michigan witnessed senior Maik Steiner named MAC Player of the Year and All-MAC First Team. Joining Steiner was Jannik Opitz as All-MAC First Team, as Opitz posted a 16-4 overall record at No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 singles, including 7-0 in the MAC.  He also played at No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 doubles with a 15-7 overall record, 3-2 in the MAC. 
 
Also recognized from Western Michigan were Kennosuke Nouchi and Lenhard Haupt as All-MAC Second Team selections.  Nouchi, last year’s Newcomer of the Year, posted a 11-11 overall record at No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 singles, including 4-3 in the MAC, and a 15-7 overall record at No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 doubles, including 3-2 in the MAC.  Haupt posted a 16-5 overall record at No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 singles, including 6-1 in the MAC, while adding a 6-4 overall record at No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 doubles, including 2-1 in the MAC.
 
Buffalo finished as the No. 2 seed with a 12-9 overall record, 5-2 in the MAC during the regular season.  Buffalo posted a 4-3 win over No. 3 seed Northern Illinois to advance to the MAC Championship and ultimately suffered a 4-2 loss to Western Michigan.  Buffalo was recognized as sophomore Hao Sheng Koay and sophomore Villheim Fridell were both name All-MAC First Team selections.  A native of Kangar, Malaysia, Koay posted an 11-6 overall record at No.1 singles, including 5-2 in the MAC, while adding an 8-4 overall record at No. 2 doubles, including 5-0 in the MAC.  A native of Gothenburg, Sweden, Fridell posted a 9-6 overall record at both No. 1 and No. 2 singles, including 5-2 in the MAC. Also from Buffalo, junior Ethan Nittolo was named All-MAC Second Team with a 13-7 overall record at No. 2 and No. 3 singles, including 5-2 in the MAC.
 
Northern Illinois completed the regular season as the No. 3 seed with a 15-7 overall record, 5-2 in the MAC.  Huskies’ freshman Kristopher Ortega was named MAC Newcomer of the Year and All-MAC First Team.  Joining Ortega was senior Eric Marbach as an All-MAC First Team selection.  A native of Naperville, Ill., Marbach posted a 9-8 overall record at No. 1 and No. 2 singles, including 4-3 in the MAC.  Marbach also posted a 9-7 overall record at No. 1 and No. 2 doubles, including 4-3 in the MAC.
 
Ball State finished the regular season as the No. 4 seed and the Cardinals were represented with junior brothers’ Marko Guzina and Nemanja Guzina as All-MAC Second Team selections.  Marko Guzina was 11-11 overall at No. 1 and No. 2 singles, including 3-4 in the MAC and posted a 12-13 overall record at No. 2 doubles, including 1-5 in the MAC.  Nemanja Guzina added a 7-11 overall mark at No. 1 and No. 2 singles, including 3-4 in the MAC, while adding a 9-8 overall record at No. 1 doubles, including 3-4 in the MAC.
 
Rounding out the All-MAC Second Team was Binghamton sophomore Kushaan Nath, who competed at No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 singles with a 9-13 overall record, 3-4 in the MAC, and at No. 1 doubles with a 9-12 overall mark, 5-1 in the MAC.
 
2018 All-MAC MEN’S TENNIS
FIRST TEAM
Maik Steiner, Western Michigan
*Hao Sheng Koay, Buffalo
Jannick Opitz, Western Michigan
Kristopher Ortega, Northern Illinois
^Villheim Fridell, Buffalo
Eric Marbach, Northern Illinois
 
SECOND TEAM:
*Kennosuke Nouchi, Western Michigan
Marko Guzina, Ball State
Nemanja Guzina, Ball State
Lenhard Haupt, Western Michigan
Ethan Nittolo, Buffalo
^Kushaan Nath, Binghamton
 
*2017 All-MAC First Team
^2017 All-MAC Second Team
 
#2016 All-MAC First Team
~2016 All-MAC Second Team
 
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Maik Steiner, Western Michigan
COACH OF THE YEAR: Dave Morin, Western Michigan
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Kristopher Ortega, Northern Illinois
JACK VREDEVELT SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD: Georg Lundkvist, Northern Illinois