GARY VARDANYAN, CAL POLY – MEN'S TENNIS ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Freshman • Granada Hills, Calif. • Granada Hills HS

A sensational start to his collegiate career earned Gary Vardanyan of Cal Poly the selection as Big West Men’s Tennis Athlete of the Week.

• Vardanyan went 3-0 in singles and 1-0 in doubles as the Mustangs had a successful trip back east at the Arthur Ashe Invitational in West Point, N.Y.

• Vardanyan helped the Mustangs finish 2-1 at the tournament with wins over host Army (4-2) and Michigan State (4-3) and a tough loss to Yale (4-3).

• He dropped his only set of the weekend in the opening match, but rebounded to take the next two sets in a 6-7, 7-6, 1-0 victory over Yale’s Amov Dhingra at No. 4 singles.

• Vardanyan then reeled off two straight set victories at No. 5 singles over Army’s David Gorshein (6-3, 6-1) and Michigan State’s Nick Williams (6-2, 7-5).

• In his only doubles match of the week, Vardanyan paired with Dominic Bechard for a 7-5 win over a Spartans duo.

Others nominated: David Goulak (UC Davis); Sasha Krasnov (UC Irvine)

WIKTORIA RUTKOWSKA, LONG BEACH STATE – WOMEN'S TENNIS ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Freshman • Puszczykowo, Poland • Poznan #9

Long Beach State freshman Wiktoria Rutkowska captured the doubles championship at the Beach Tennis Invitational to earn the distinction as the Big West Women’s Tennis Athlete of the Week.

• Rutkowska joined forces with Dominique Meyer to collect wins against tandems from CSUN, San Diego and Portland State.

• The LBSU duo defeated CSUN’s Monika Van de Vondel/Jolene Coetzee and San Diego’s Nicole Anderson/Kati Kukuras by 6-4 scores.

• Rutkowska and Meyer also won in dominant fashion, 6-2 over the Portland State team of Lotti Mescaros and Taylor Rees.

• Rutkowska also posted a 2-1 record in singles at the tournament.  She knocked off Meszaros by a 6-3, 6-3 score, and won in straight sets over Coetzee (6-3, 7-5).

Others nominated: Eira Tobrand (Cal State Fullerton); Sara Tsukamoto (UC Davis); Michelle Pits (Hawai‘i)