CLEVELAND - 2008 Mid-American Conference Men’s Tennis tournament champion Western Michigan placed a league-high four
members to the All-MAC team, the conference office announced today. Voting was conducted by the league’s six head coaches following last weekend’s tournament at Rockford, Ill.
Repeating as all-conference selections from last year for WMU are Kevin Hayward and Alex Birchmeier, while Alejandro Staub and Kazuya Komada are first-time honorees. Hayward was a first-team selection for the second consecutive season.
Ball State had two players named to the All-MAC first-team. Junior Jose Perdomo represented the Cardinals on the first-team for the second straight season and was joined by Newcomer of the Year Eduardo Pavia on the first team.
Northern Illinois also was represented with two first-team selections. Player of the Year Brian Livingston and Jack Vredevelt Sportsmanship Award winner Alex Friesen were Huskies honored this year. Livingston is a repeat first-team honoree while Friesen was a second-team selection in 2007.
Toledo had two second team All-MAC selections with Chris Clark and Jared Miller, both recognized on the all-conference team for the second consecutive year. Buffalo’s Nikesh Singh Panthlia was also named second-team all-conference for the second consecutive year and Chicago State’s Parkoso Imanuel was honored, marking the Cougars initial season as an affiliate member for men’s tennis.
WMU mentor Dave Morin claimed Coach of the Year honors for the third year in a row and for the seventh time in his career.
All-MAC First Team
Jose Perdomo, Ball State
Eduardo Pavia Ball State
Alex Friesen Northern Illinois
Brian Livingston Northern Illinois
Alex Birchmeier Western Michigan
Kevin Hayward Western Michigan
All-MAC Second Team
Nikesh Singh Panthlia Buffalo
Prakoso Imanuel Chicago State
Chris Clark Toledo
Jared Miller Toledo
Kazuya Komada Western Michigan
Alejandro Staub Western Michigan
Individual Award Winners
Player of the Year: Brian Livingston, Northern Illinois
Newcomer of the Year: Eduardo Pavia, Ball State
Sportsmanship Award: Alex Friesen, Northern Illinois
Coach of the Year: Dave Morin, Western Michigan
MAC Tournament MVP: Alejandro Staub, Western Michigan
All-Tournament Team
Alejandro Staub, Western Michigan (Most Outstanding Player)
Michael Calderone, Western Michigan
Eduardo Pavia, Ball State
Shaun Bussert, Ball State
Brian Livingston, Northern Illinois
Jared Miller, Toledo