DENVER - Idaho's
Abid Akbar and Denver's
Emma Isberg have been named the Western Athletic Conference Men's and Women's Tennis Players of the Month, respectively, for the month of November.
Akbar, a senior from Islamabad, Pakistan (Roots School), teamed up with Maris Cirstea to win the consolation doubles draw at the National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships, after beating parings from USC and Columbia, with an opening round loss to a pairing from Cal. 2012 marked just the second year, and second in a row, that Idaho tennis was represented at the fall championship tournament, and was the first year an Idaho player of duo won at least one match. While Cal's McLachlan brothers, who beat Akbar and Cirstea in the opening round, aren't ranked as a doubles pairing, Ben McLachlan is ranked in doubles with partner Christoffer Konigsfelt at No. 23 in the nation. In singles play Akbar went 2-1 at the Pacific Northwest Intercollegiate defeating Eastern Washington's Tomas Aranguiz, before dropping his match against top-seeded and 116th ranked Emmett Egger.
A senior from Tyreso, Sweden, Isberg won the Tom Landry Singles Draw at the Houston Open. She finished the tournament 3-0 in the singles draw, defeating opponents from North Texas, Liberty and Iowa State. Isberg won in straight sets against Ilona Serchenko of North Texas in the first round, 6-2, 6-3. In her semifinal draw, Isberg swept Liberty's Valerie Thong 6-4, 6-2. In the flight final she defeated Iowa State's Megan Cassens, 6-1, 6-4. Isberg concluded the fall season with a singles record of 8-4. In doubles play she teamed with partner Steffi Rath, scoring a 8-6 in their first round match against Lamar. The doubles pair lost in the semifinals 8-3 to a pairing from Rice.
Also nominated for the men: Denver, Enej Bonin.
Also nominated for the women: Idaho, Rita Bermudez; Texas State, Monica Pieratt.