Shabib, Cox, Palacios Win Horizon League Tennis Honors

INDIANAPOLIS -- Cleveland State sophomore Ali Shabib (Copenhagen, Denmark) and Green Bay senior Craig Cox (Surrey, England) have been named the Horizon League's Co-Players of the Week in men's tennis while UIC junior Mariana Palacios (Quito, Pichincha, Ecuador) takes the women's honor.

It is Shabib's second award of the season and the first for both Cox and Palacios.

Both Shabib and Cox went 4-0 on the week. Shabib won 6-2, 7-6 at No. 3 singles and 9-8 at No. 1 doubles in a 4-3 win at Duquesne and won 6-4, 6-4 in No. 3 singles and 8-6 in No. 1 doubles in a 4-3 Horizon League win at Youngstown State. Cox won at No. 2 singles and No. 1 doubles in a 6-1 win over Valparaiso and won at No. 3 singles and No. 1 doubles in a 6-1 win against UIC.

Cleveland State returns to action against Marquette on Saturday and then faces Green Bay on Sunday. Before hosting the Vikings on Sunday, Green Bay hosts Youngstown State on Saturday.

After sitting out UIC's 7-0 loss to Akron on Wednesday, Palacios returned with a vengance and led the Flames to two conference wins, 6-1 over Milwaukee and 7-0 over Green Bay.

Palacios won 6-1, 6-1 at No. 2 singles and 8-5 at No. 1 doubles against the Panthers. She then won 6-1, 6-0 in her first No. 1 singles match and 8-2 at No. 1 doubles against the Phoenix. She is 11-2 in singles during the dual season, 4-1 at No. 2 and 1-0 at No. 1.

UIC returns to action on Saturday against Detroit.

Men’s Tennis Athletes of the Week:
January 15:      Michal Lyzwa, Wright State
January 22:      Maurizio Feoli, UIC
January 29:      Michael Tenzer, Green Bay
February 5:       Alex Latosinsky, Detroit
February 12:     Ali Shabib, Cleveland State
February 19:     Silviu Mistreanu, Youngstown State
February 26:     Jorg van der Vloet, Cleveland State
March 5:            Silviu Mistreanu, Youngstown State
March 11:          Lauri Makikalli, Wright State
March 19:          Hayden Joblin, Wright State
March 26:          Hayden Joblin, Wright State
April 2:               Ali Shabib, Cleveland State
                           Craig Cox, Green Bay

Women’s Tennis Athletes of the Week:
January 29:      Maddy Soule, Milwaukee
February 5:       Valeryia Kulikouskaya, Detroit
February 12:    Christina Colarossi, Milwaukee
February 19:    Annina Brendel, Youngstown State
February 26:    Ellen Folkers, Cleveland State
March 5:           Kristin Kurer, Milwaukee
March 11:         Paula da Man, Youngstown State
March 19:        Chloe Karoub, Detroit
March 26:         Margarita Sadkovinkova, Youngstown State
April 2:              Mariana Palacios, UIC