UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO ATHLETICS
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The University at Buffalo men’s tennis team placed three members on the postseason All-MAC team, the league office announced on Wednesday morning. For the second straight season sophomore Hao Sheng Koay was a first-team All-MAC selection as he was joined on the first team by sophomore Villhelm Fridell, who was a second team selection last year. Junior Ethan Nittolo was named to the All-MAC Second Team.
Koay earns his second All-MAC First Team honor as he went 15-15 this season, including 10-7 at first singles. Koay won four of his final five matches in the regular season, including sweeping his two matches in the final weekend at Northern Illinois and Ball State, helping UB clinch the second seed in the MAC Tournament. He earned the MAC’s final Singles Player of the Week award for his performance.
After finishing as a second team selection last year, Fridell earned All-MAC First Team honors, to go along with his All-MAC Tournament Team honor. He went 16-12 on the year having played anywhere from second to fifth in the singles lineup. One of Fridell’s biggest wins came in the MAC Semifinals as he defeated Eric Marbach in three-sets to help the Bulls clinch a spot in the MAC Final. Fridell had won five straight matches in conference play before he dropped a pair in the final weekend. Fridell and Koay combined to go 4-2 from the second doubles spot as well.
Nittolo earned his first postseason All-MAC honor as he led the Bulls in singles victories with a 19-17 record. Nittolo, who was the 2017 MAC Tournament MVP, went 9-4 at second singles and 4-1 at third singles to lead the way for UB. Nittolo picked up Buffalo’s lone singles victory in the MAC Championship as he scored a 6-4, 6-4 win at third singles. He also won both of his doubles matches during the MAC Tournament at third doubles with freshman Matthew Johnson.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Maik Steiner, Western Michigan
COACH OF THE YEAR: Dave Morin, Western Michigan
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Kristopher Ortega, Northern Illinois
JACK VREDEVELT SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD: Georg Lundkvist, Northern Illinois
2018 All-MAC MEN’S TENNIS
FIRST TEAM
Maik Steiner, Western Michigan
*Hao Sheng Koay, Buffalo
Jannick Opitz, Western Michigan
Kristopher Ortega, Northern Illinois
^Villhelm Fridell, Buffalo
Eric Marbach, Northern Illinois
SECOND TEAM:
*Kennosuke Nouchi, Western Michigan
Marko Guzina, Ball State
Nemanja Guzina, Ball State
Lenhard Haupt, Western Michigan
Ethan Nittolo, Buffalo
^Kushaan Nath, Binghamton
*2017 All-MAC First Team
^2017 All-MAC Second Team
#2016 All-MAC First Team
~2016 All-MAC Second Team