Green Bay's Swanson, UIC's Kovaleva Collect Tennis Athlete of the Week Accolades
INDIANAPOLIS -- Green Bay senior Paul Swanson (Coon Rapids, Minn.) has been named Horizon League Men’s Tennis Athlete of the Week, while UIC senior Mariya Kovaleva (Almaty, Kazakhstan) has earned Women’s Tennis Athlete of the Week honors, for the week of March 26-April 1. The accolade is the first of the year for Swanson and second for Kovaleva.
Swanson led Green Bay (13-5, 2-0 Horizon) to two victories in Horizon League play, as the Phoenix knocked off UIC, 6-1, and Valparaiso, 7-0. The senior went 2-0 at No. 1 singles while splitting his matches at No. 3 doubles.
Kovaleva helped UIC (10-3, 3-0 Horizon) to a 6-1 victory over Green Bay in its lone match of the week. The victory was the 136th consecutive Horizon League match win for the Flames.
In Green Bay’s final two home matches of the spring season, Swanson did not drop a set at No. 1 singles. Against UIC, Swanson collected a 6-1, 6-2 victory on Saturday before a 6-3, 6-2 win over his opponent from Valparaiso on Sunday. In doubles play, Swanson and Michael Tebon fell in a tie-break, 9-8 (8), on Saturday before Swanson partnered with Henning Jess in an 8-3 victory on Sunday.
In her customary No. 1 singles slot, Kovaleva breezed to a straight-set win, dropping just one game in a 6-0, 6-1 victory. In doubles, the three-time Horizon League Player of the Year teamed with Haley Craig to post an 8-1 victory.
Green Bay will hit the road over the weekend, meeting Youngstown State on Friday, April 6, before taking on Cleveland State at 11 a.m. ET on Saturday. UIC will be on the road as well, with the Flames taking on Detroit on Saturday at 4 p.m. ET.
Men’s Tennis Athletes of the Week:
January 24: Hayden Joblin, Wright State
January 31: Craig Cox, Green Bay
February 7: Chris Baum, Valparaiso
February 14: Yannick Goossens, Cleveland State
February 21: Michael Tenzer, Green Bay
February 28: Lauri Makikalli, Wright State
March 6: Martin Arguello, Wright State
March 20: Eric Honert, Valparaiso
March 27: Austin Woldmoe, Butler
April 3: Paul Swanson, Green Bay
Women’s Tennis Athletes of the Week:
January 24: Alex Bastock, Wright State
January 31: Maddy Soule, Milwaukee
February 7: Jana Knoppe, UIC
February 14: Mariya Kovaleva, UIC
February 21: Nicole Janek, Cleveland State
February 28: Christina Colarossi, Milwaukee
March 6: Teona Tsertvadze, UIC
March 13: Hayden Joblin, Wright State
March 20: Nicole Janek, Cleveland State
March 27: Amanda Cornwell, Detroit
April 3: Mariya Kovaleva, UIC
