By Marc Weems
Youngstown State University senior men’s tennis player Danylo Veremeichuk was named first-team All-Horizon League while sophomore Joao Garretto was a second-team selection, the conference announced on Wednesday.
Veremiechuk was joined on the first-team by Cleveland State University’s Nico Mostardi, University of Detroit Mercy’s Artem Vasheshnikov, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay’s Florian Kraenzler, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis’s David Beasley and Wright State University’s Michal Kianicka.
It marks the second straight year that Veremeichuk has been recognized by the league after earning second-team honors in 2016-17. This season he was 21-11 overall with an 11-8 record in dual contests this spring. In doubles play, he went 20-8 overall, 14-4 in dual play and 5-2 in Horizon League play.
Garretto picked up the first all-league recognition of his YSU career. This season he was 17-14 overall, 11-9 in dual play and went 4-3 in Horizon League contests. In doubles play, he was 18-10 overall, 12-6 in dual matches and 4-1 in completed Horizon League matches.
The Penguins open play at the Horizon League Championships on Friday afternoon against Wright State. First serve at Purdue’s Schwartz Tennis Center in West Lafayette, Ind., is set for 3 p.m.
Men’s Tennis First Team All-League
Nico Mostardi, Cleveland State
Artem Vasheshnikov, Detroit Mercy
Florian Kraenzler, Green Bay
David Beasley, IUPUI
Michal Kianicka, Wright State
Danylo Veremeichuk, Youngstown State
Men’s Tennis Second Team All-League
Luke Phillips, Cleveland State
Matthew Terry, Cleveland State
Nathan Ponton, Detroit Mercy
James Ling, Green Bay
Param Pun, Wright State
Joao Garretto, Youngstown State
Men’s Tennis Awards
Player of the Year – Nico Mostardi, Cleveland State
Freshman of the Year – Matthew Terry, Cleveland State
Coach of the Year – Aaron Paajanen, Detroit Mercy
Herb Foster Sportsmanship Award – Blaine Carr, Northern Kentucky
On the women’s side for YSU, Noelly Longi Nsimba and Sofia Macias have been named All-Horizon League First-Team selections, the conference announced on Wednesday.
The Penguins were the only school to have two players recognized as first-team all-league. Cleveland State University’s Isabella Spindler, Oakland University’s Darya Maltseva, Northern Kentucky University’s Margita Sunjic and Wright State’s Karoline Haller were all named first-team honorees along with Macias and Nsimba.
It marks the second consecutive year that Nsimba was named first-team all-league and it is also the second straight year the Penguins have had multiple players named first-team all-conference. It is the first career all-league honor for Macias.
Nsimba went 14-8 in dual matches this spring and was 7-2 in Horizon League contests. She played all 22 of her matches this spring at the No. 1 spot in the lineup. In Horizon League doubles matches she was 7-1. Macias has an identical 14-8 record in dual matches, but went a career-best 8-1 in league play. She played 23 of her 24 matches at No. 2 doubles this spring.
For her career, Nsimba has won 63 singles matches, 41 of which have come in dual play. In Horizon League regular-season contests, she was 21-6 posting a 7-2 mark in each of her three seasons with the program. Macias has won 69 singles contests, including 54 dual matches. In Horizon League regular-season contest she was 25-9 in her four years.
The Penguins, who have won four straight Horizon League postseason championships, look to defend their title starting on Saturday at 11 a.m. YSU will face the winner of the CSU-NKU match in the HL semifinals at Purdue’s Schwartz Tennis Center in West Lafayette, Ind.
Women’s Tennis First Team All-League
Isabella Spindler, Cleveland State
Darya Maltseva, Oakland
Margita Sunjic, Northern Kentucky
Karoline Haller, Wright State
Sofia Macias, Youngstown State
Noelly Longi Nsimba, Youngstown State
Women’s Tennis Second Team All-League
Jasmine Apawti, Detroit Mercy
Maria Koo, Northern Kentucky
Dasha Artamonova, Oakland
Lejla Colic, UIC
Georgie Sanders, UIC
Haily Morgan, Wright State
Women’s Tennis Awards
Player of the Year – Margita Sunjic, Northern Kentucky
Freshman of the Year – Darya Maltseva, Oakland
Coach of the Year – Shannon Tully, UIC
Herb Foster Sportsmanship Award – Hannah Watton, Northern Kentucky
