The Big West Men's and Women's Tennis Athletes of the Week did not lose any singles or doubles matches in leading their squads to a combined 5-0 record.
Eshmade Leads UC Santa Barbara To Three Wins
Red hot Nathan Eshmade (Adelaide, Australia/King's Baptist Grammar School) was instrumental in three wins for UC Santa Barbara, as he earned Big West Men’s Tennis Athlete of the Week honors.
The junior went 3-0 in singles and 3-0 in doubles with partner Erik Johnsson, spurring the Gauchos to conference wins over Hawai‘i and UC Riverside, and a nonconference triumph versus New Mexico State.
Eshmade did not surrender a set in his three singles outcomes, knocking off Rainbow Warrior counterpart Chas Okamoto, 6-3, 6-3, at No. 2, and Highlander opponent Julian Ruffin, 6-4, 6-3, upon moving up to No. 1. Eshmade and Johnsson lost a combined four games in the top doubles spot, and helped UCSB clinch the crucial point in the tight 4-3 triumph over NMSU.
Others nominated: Corey Pang (Cal Poly); Nils Schuhmann (Hawai‘i)
Facey Collects Third Weekly Award
The play of senior Kat Facey (Cameron Park, Calif./Ponderosa HS) led UC Irvine to two key conference wins and to her third selection this season as the Big West Women’s Tennis Athlete of the Week.
UCI rolled to back-to-back 4-1 victories at Cal Poly and No. 50 UC Santa Barbara behind Facey’s impeccable play at No. 2 singles. She dispatched Mustang Molly Reed in a 6-4, 6-2 decision, then reversed the score against Gaucho Natalie Da Silveira, winning 6-2, 6-4.
At No. 1 doubles alongside sister Ali Facey, the pair improved to 15-4 on the year with two wins, including an 8-7 squeaker against their foes from UCSB.
Others nominated: Maeva Razakasoa (Long Beach State); Kristy Jorgensen (UC Davis); Cindy Nguyen (Hawai‘i)