2018-19 Sun Belt Men’s Tennis News and Notes:
Standings | Composite Schedule | Stats | Championship | Records Book
AROUND #SUNBELTTEN
• A lineup of 16 matches are on the schedule for Sun Belt men’s tennis this week.
• In the latest
Oracle/Intercollegiate Tennis Association Division I Men’s National Rankings released on March 5, the Sun Belt boasted two teams ranked in South Alabama (8-2) at No. 56 and Louisiana (16-5) at No. 66. South Alabama juniors Loic Cloes and Clement Marzol continue to be one of the top-ranked doubles teams in the country coming in this week at No. 19.
• South Alabama enters the week with its winning streak intact, now at eight-straight matches. Marzol is on a winning streak of his own in singles having won his last seven at the top two positions.
• UTA (7-3) extended its winning streak to five straight with a 5-2 victory over Georgetown in Miami, Fla. on March 5.
• Louisiana has had the busiest schedule amongst Sun Belt squads this spring with 21 matches played. The Ragin' Cajuns are in the midst of an eight-day break, returning to the courts at home on Wednesday, March 13 vs. Xavier (La.).
• Troy (11-1) collected eight wins in the month of February.
• For the first time, Sun Belt men's tennis is set to play a full conference schedule this season to determine the regular-season champion and seeds for the Sun Belt Men’s Tennis Championship.
• The 2019 Sun Belt Men’s Tennis Championship is set for April 19-21 at Peachtree City Tennis Center in Peachtree City, Ga.
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Roberts Grinvalds, Georgia State (Fr., Bigaunciems, Latvia)
Georgia State freshman Roberts Grinvalds went 7-1 and helped lead the No. 49 Panthers to a 2-2 record during their four-match homestand. Grinvalds finished the week 3-1 in singles and 4-0 in doubles. He started the week 2-0 against No. 45 Florida Atlantic, clinching the doubles point with sophomore Andrei Duarte before winning his singles match at the No. 2 spot in straight sets, 6-3, 7-5, over Kirac Bekisoglu. Grinvalds and Duarte continued to cruise in doubles, finishing the week undefeated and guiding Georgia State to clinch the doubles point in five of its last six matches. The Bigaunciems, Latvia, native bounced back to end the week with two straight singles wins – 6-4, 7-5 over Kennesaw State's Brian Triana and 6-4, 6-4 over Charlotte's Ignasi de Rueda – after suffering his only setback of the week in singles against North Florida. Grinvalds is tied for the team lead in singles victories with six.
2019 Weekly Award Winners
January 30: Jamie Fraser, Louisiana
February 6: Stefano Di Aloy, Georgia Southern
February 13: Vazha Shubladze, Georgia State
February 20: Giles Hussey, Georgia State
February 27: Giles Hussey, Georgia State
March 6: Roberts Grinvalds, Georgia State
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Wednesday, March 6
VCU at South Alabama, Noon
Troy at Jackson State, 1 p.m.
UTA at Lynn, 2 p.m.
Thursday, March 7
1-Appalachian State vs. Valparaiso, 10:15 a.m.
2-Coastal Carolina vs. Ashland, Noon
Troy at New Orleans, 2 p.m.
1-Appalachian State vs. Norfolk State, 5:30 p.m.
Friday, March 8
Winthrop at Georgia Southern, 10 a.m.
Saturday, March 9
3-Coastal Carolina vs. UNC Greensboro, 9 a.m.
Georgia State at East Tennessee State, 9 a.m.
UTSA at UTA, 11 a.m.
4-Georgia State vs. Southern Miss, 2 p.m.
Sunday, March 10
Kennesaw State at Georgia Southern, 8:30 a.m.
South Alabama at Lamar, 9 a.m.
Bethune-Cookman at Georgia Southern, 12:30 p.m.
Monday, March 11
Coastal Carolina at Embry-Riddle, 9:30 a.m.
All Times are Central and Subject to Change
KEY:
1-Orlando, Fla.
2-Myrtle Beach, Fla.
3-Daytona Beach, Fla.
4-Johnson City, Tenn.