INDIANAPOLIS -- Valparaiso sophomore Eric Honert (Arvada, Colo.) has been named Horizon League Men’s Tennis Athlete of the Week, while Cleveland State junior Nicole Janek (Clarkston, Mich.) has earned Women’s Tennis Athlete of the Week honors, for the week of March 12-18. The accolade is the first of the year for Honert, while Janek is receiving the honor for the second time in 2012.
On Valparaiso’s (6-5) spring break trip through Florida, Honert went unbeaten at No. 2 singles, collecting four wins last week. The sophomore teamed with Kevin DeHerrera to go 3-1 at No. 2 doubles.
Starting the week against NJIT, Honert breezed to a 6-2, 6-0 win at No. 2 singles, helping the Crusaders emerge with a 4-3 victory; later in the day, the sophomore collected a 6-4, 6-0 victory at No. 2 as Valparaiso knocked off Franklin & Marshall, 5-2.
The following day, Honert won in straight sets against his opponent from the University of Indianapolis, 6-2, 6-2. Honert wrapped up the trip with a 6-4, 7-5 victory versus his foe from Colgate to wrap up the perfect singles play.
Moving from No. 5 to No. 4 in the Cleveland State (8-7) lineup, Janek went 3-0 in singles play, beginning with a 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 win at No. 5 as the Vikings fell in their spring break opener, 6-3, to Embry-Riddle.
The next day against Florida Atlantic, Janek was bumped up to No. 4 singles, where she had no trouble in posting a 7-5, 7-5 straight-set win. On March 15, Janek stayed at No. 4, coasting to a 6-1, 6-1 victory over her opponent from Albany.
Both Valpo and Cleveland State will be opening Horizon League play this week, with the Crusaders hosting Butler on Saturday, March 24, before welcoming Wright State on Sunday, March 25. Cleveland State will head to Detroit, where the Vikings and Titans will play on Friday, March 23.
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 13: Hayden Joblin, Wright State
March 20: Eric Honert, Valparaiso
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 20: Nicole Janek, Cleveland State