There is one change this season, the Western Athletic Conference Tournament will now be held in Boise, Idaho on the campus of Boise State, April 20-23. The 2005 champion, Boise State, looks to defend its title. Last season, the Broncos took the title in Honolulu at Hawai'i.
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PLAYER OF THE WEEK ?“ Boise State?™s Luke Shields has been named the Xbox Live Western Athletic Conference Men?™s Tennis Player of the Week for the week of April 12. Shields brother, Clancy, has also earned honors this season.
Shields, a sophomore from Grand Junction, Colo., led Boise State, ranked No. 22 by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, to three wins last week. The Broncos knocked off Santa Clara (7-0), Idaho (6-1), and Montana State (6-1). Shields, the nation?™s 29th ranked singles player, went 3-0 in each of his matches at the first position. Shields knocked off Santa Clara?™s Jan Macek, 6-4, 4-6, 10-4, Idaho?™s Tim Huynh, 6-3, 6-3, and Montana State?™s Federico Ueltschi (No. 122), 6-4, 7-5.
Shields and senior Thomas Schoeck, 2005 All-Americans and ranked No. 18 by the ITA, also went 2-0 in doubles this weekend. The duo defeated Santa Clara?™s McQuaid and Shields, 8-2, and Montana State?™s Gebicki and McDonald, 8-2. Shields is now 23-8 this season in singles and 18-9 in doubles with Schoeck.
Other men?™s tennis nominees: Jakub Cech of Fresno State was 1-1 in singles and doubles last week and almost captured a win over No. 6 Scott Doerner ... Milos Popovic of Nevada was 2-0 last week in singles … Roman Stoisavljevic of New Mexico State won in singles and doubles last wee as the Aggies defeated College of Santa Fe.
RAIN RAIN GO AWAY ?“ The Hawai'i men?™s tennis team?™s "Senior Day" match against Azusa Pacific, the NAIA?™s top-ranked team, was cancelled on Tuesday due to rain at the UH Tennis Complex. The match will not be made up as APU was scheduled to leave Honolulu Tuesday night.
The match was halted with the Cougars leading 1-0 after grabbing the doubles point. The Rainbow Warriors (9-5) were about to even the team score as senior Ryan Sceats was leading his match 6-3, 5-2 at the No. 3 court.
The match was the final home contest for seniors Sceats, Jarrod Diepraam, Bryon Weinberg, and Yasuo Sakurai. The foursome have accumulated 134 singles and 121 doubles wins during their careers at UH.
The Rainbow Warriors will next compete in the Western Athletic Conference Championship, April 21-23, in Fresno, Calif. UH has not placed higher than fifth in the tournament.
BOISE STATE ENDS REGULAR SEASON ON THE ROAD ?“ Boise State, ranked No. 23 by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, will play host to San Diego, April 12, before hitting the road for matches with Colorado, April 14, and Denver, April 15. The match against No. 37 San Diego is scheduled for 1:30 p.m., at the Appleton Tennis Center.
The three matches will be the final tune-up for the Broncos before hosting the Western Athletic Conference Championships, April 21-23. Boise State (17-4) has won each of its last seven matches, and 17 of its last 18. Boise State is 7-4 this season against teams currently ranked in the top 75.
The No. 23 Broncos boast not only two of the nation?™s top-ranked singles players in sophomore Luke Shields (No. 29) and senior Thomas Schoeck (No. 122), but the nation?™s 18th ranked doubles team (Shields and Schoeck).