Horizon League Announces 2024 #HLTennis Awards
Joseph Thomas
INDIANAPOLIS (April 24, 2024) – The Horizon League released our 2024 #HLTennis All-League awards on Thursday. All awards were voted on by the League’s head coaches.
Belmont’s Alfred Wallin and Cleveland State’s Oihane Vicario received Player of the Year honors while CSU’s Lincoln Battle and Oakland’s Emilia Jarvinen collected Freshman of the Year accolades. Our Herb Foster Sportsmanship Award winners are Dylan Brown of Southern Indiana and Maria Oliveira of Youngstown State. Cleveland State’s Brian Etzkin and Chicago State’s Jack Barton earned Coach of the Year recognition.
Dig Deeper:
- Wallin is the first Belmont student-athlete to capture #HLTennis Player of the Year honors in the Bruins’ second season in the League.
- The Malmö, Sweden native finished the season undefeated in League play at No. 1 singles, leading Belmont to the South Division regular season title.
- Vicario earned back-to-back Player of the Year honors and her third All-League First Team selection.
- The junior finished the regular season 6-0 in League play at No. 1 singles.
- Battle posted a 7-1 League record at No. 1 singles in his first season at Cleveland State.
- The Raleigh, N.C. native is CSU’s fourth Freshman of the Year since 2017.
- Jarvinen concluded the regular season with a 9-5 overall record, including eight wins at No. 1 singles.
- The Turku, Finland native is the third Golden Grizzly to win Freshman of the Year honors.
- The Herb Foster Sportsmanship Award is given in honor of former Wright State men’s and women’s tennis coach Herb Foster and recognizes student-athletes who have distinguished themselves through demonstrated acts of sportsmanship and ethical behavior. Sportsmanship is defined as behavior exhibited during competition by student-athletes based on values, respect and integrity.
- Brown is described by his head coach as “a well-respected player to his opponents” and is the second consecutive Southern Indiana student-athlete to earn the award.
- Oliveira’s head coach noted the senior has been “instrumental helping the coaching staff to promote and implement the norms and values that YSU and the HL believe in.”
- Barton earned Coach of the Year after leading the Cougars to a 5-1 League record and a share of the Horizon League regular season title.
- Etzkin won his sixth Coach of the Year award at Cleveland State.
- The Vikings finished with an 8-0 League record and won the North Division title this season.
- The Horizon League Men’s and Women’s Tennis Championships will take place this weekend at the Schwartz Tennis Center in West Lafayette, Ind.
- Quarterfinal matches are set for Friday, April 26 and the championships are scheduled to conclude on Sunday, April 28 with the final matches streamed on ESPN+.
- Fans can also follow the action on social media by following @HorizonLeague and #OurHorizon.
- For complete championship information, visit #HLTennis Championship Central.
2024 Horizon League Men’s Tennis Award Winners
Player of the Year: Alfred Wallin, Belmont
Coach of the Year: Brian Etzkin, Cleveland State
Freshman of the Year: Lincoln Battle, Cleveland State
Herb Foster Sportsmanship Award: Dylan Brown, Southern Indiana
Men’s Tennis All-League First Team
Ian Cruz, Belmont
Tomas Luis, Belmont
Alfred Wallin, Belmont
Pedro Alvarez, Chicago State
Lincoln Battle, Cleveland State
Nick Nienhaus, Northern Kentucky
Men’s Tennis All-League Second Team
Mikael Erler, Cleveland State
Josef Zapletal, Northern Kentucky
Taj Hibbert, Tennessee State
Nil Moinet, Tennessee State
Alex Alvarez, Tennessee Tech
Onder Balci, Youngstown State
Nishant Dabas, Youngstown State
Men’s Tennis Herb Foster Sportsmanship Award Finalists
Tomas Luis, Belmont
Kade Mindry, Cleveland State
Thomas Wallace, Eastern Illinois
Kamil Kozerski, IUPUI
Brandon Ponomarew, Northern Kentucky
Dylan Brown, Southern Indiana*
Jonasz Dziopak, Tennessee State
Asier Pena Ibanez, Youngstown State
2024 Horizon League Women’s Tennis Awards
Player of the Year: Oihane Vicario, Cleveland State
Coach of the Year: Jack Barton, Chicago State
Freshman of the Year: Emilia Jarvinen, Oakland
Herb Foster Sportsmanship Award: Maria Oliveira, Youngstown State
Women’s Tennis All-League First Team
Manuella Eloundou, Chicago State
Oihane Vicario, Cleveland State
Tereze Vevere, Cleveland State
Ashlee Fisk, Northern Kentucky
Julia Marko, Youngstown State
Eliska Masarikova, Youngstown State
Women’s Tennis All-League Second Team
Katarina Dukic, Chicago State
Sofiya Sedovich, Chicago State
Sima Heren, Cleveland State
Bethany Yauch, Cleveland State
Babette Burgersdijk, Milwaukee
Elinor Beazley, Youngstown State
Women’s Tennis Herb Foster Sportsmanship Award Finalists
Helin Alvarez, Chicago State
Filippa Frogner, Cleveland State
Gabbie Orlando, IUPUI
Babette Burgersdijk, Milwaukee
Ashlee Fisk, Northern Kentucky
Isabelle Popma, Oakland
Maria Oliveira, Youngstown State*