DENVER – Missouri-Kansas City’s Conner Edwards and New Mexico State’s Susana Alcaraz have been named the Western Athletic Conference men’s and women’s Tennis Athletes of the Week, respectively, for February 2-8.
Edwards, a senior from Topeka, Kan. (Washburn Rural HS), went 3-0 on the week in singles play, winning all of his matches against No. 41 Drake, Gonzaga and South Alabama. Edwards won (2-6, 6-3, 1-0 [10-7]) over Drake’s Ben Wood. His second victory match (6-2, 6-2) was over Gonzaga’s Vincente Varas. He closed out his undefeated singles weekend against South Alabama’s Juan Troglia (4-6, 6-3, 10-3). Also in doubles action, he posted a win with partner Amaury Navette in a tiebreaker against Gonzaga, helping the ‘Roos earn the doubles point.
Alcaraz, a senior from Aguscalientes Calientes, Mexico (Northwood University), had an eventful weekend in Las Vegas, Nev. The Mexico native took two singles’ and two doubles’ victories during a three-game slate for the Aggies. Her first win came in a three set thriller against Pacific’s Iveta Masarova (6-4, 1-6, 7-5). Against Kansas, Alcaraz and doubles’ partner Erika Castillo Lopez battled the Jayhawk’s No. 1 doubles’ pairing match that went unfinished (4-4). Alcaraz closed out the weekend with a victory over UNLV’s Anett Ferenczi-Bako (6-3, 6-1) while her and Lopez picked up a doubles’ win against Ferenczi-Bako and partner Alexis Garrett.
Other Men’s Nominees: Felix Schueller, Grand Canyon; Hector Ramirez, Texas-Pan American.
Other Women’s Nominees: Lana Macukat, Grand Canyon; Katia Stavroulaki, Texas-Pan American.