April 29, 2009

Center Valley, Pa. - The 2009 Patriot League Men's Tennis All-League teams were announced on Wednesday, with Navy senior Nate Nelms and Army freshman Donald Van Velzer named Player and Rookie of the Year, respectively. Navy's John Officer was named Coach of the Year for the fifth time in his career. All-League selections and major award winners are chosen by the League's seven head coaches.

Nelms, the 2007 Player of the Year, picked up the honor again this season after compiling an 11-0 combined singles and doubles record in Patriot League play. The senior led Navy to an overall 18-7 mark, with the Mids compiling an unblemished 5-0 Patriot League record on the way to winning a third-straight and seventh overall League title earlier this month. Nelms also picked up the Joe Abrahamson Award as the tournament's MVP, after also winning the award in 2007. The senior was also named a 2009 First-Team All-League selection.

Van Velzer is the first Army player to win Rookie of the Year honors since Eddie Kang in 2005. The freshman went 5-2 in Patriot League play and 11-13 overall in the spring in his rookie season with the Black Knights. When paired with Sean Harris, Van Velzer went 11-5 in doubles this season.

Officer won his third straight and fifth overall Coach of the Year award after leading the Mids to their fourth NCAA Tournament appearance in 11 years.

Joining Nelms on the First-Team All-Patriot League are Army's Phil Muhawi, Colgate's Martin MacIntyre, Lehigh's Troy List and Navy's Jason Hill and John Waters. Muhawi is now a four-time All-League selection after compiling an overall spring record of 9-13 and 3-2 in League play. MacIntyre, the 2008 Player of the Year, had a 12-5 singles record at No. 1 this spring, including a 3-2 mark in Patriot League action. MacIntyre was also a three-time Patriot League Player of the Month.

List played at No. 1 singles and doubles for Lehigh, attaining a 14-9 overall spring record. List's only League loss was to MacIntyre in the regular season. Hill, the 2009 Men's Tennis Scholar-Athlete of the Year, had a combined 14-0 singles and doubles record at No. 3 in Patriot League play, while teammate John Waters amassed a 10-1 singles and doubles record at No. 2 for the Mids.

The 2009 Second-Team All-Patriot League includes Army's Jordan Girdley, Bucknell's Mark Malloy, Colgate's John Nogueras, Holy Cross' Matt Wierzel, Lafayette's Eric Wiley and Navy's Ramsey Lemaich. Girdley was 4-0 in League play this season with an 11-9 overall spring record. Malloy achieved a 4-1 League mark at No. 3 for Bucknell, with his only loss coming to Navy's Waters. Nogueras was 5-2 overall this spring at No. 2 singles and 4-1 in League play. Nogueras also compiled an 11-8 record at No. 1 doubles for the Raiders. Wierzel picked up a League win over fellow Second-Team selection Eric Wiley of Lafayette. Wiley played No. 1 singles for the Leopards with a 1-5 League mark. Lemaich accumulated a 12-0 combined singles and doubles League record for the Mids this season.

The 2009 Patriot League Champion Navy Midshipmen will continue their season in the first round of the NCAA Tournament against top-seeded Virginia on Friday, May 8 in Charlottesville, Va.

2009 All-Patriot League Teams

First Team

Phil Muhawi, Army, Sr.

Martin MacIntyre, Colgate, Sr.

Troy List, Lehigh, So.

Jason Hill, Navy, Sr.

Nate Nelms, Navy, Sr.

John Waters, Navy, Sr.

Second Team

Jordan Girdley, Army, So.

Mark Malloy, Bucknell, So.

John Nogueras, Colgate, Jr.

Matt Wierzel, Holy Cross, So.

Eric Wiley, Lafayette, Jr.

Ramsey Lemaich, Navy, Jr.

Player of the Year: Nate Nelms, Navy

Rookie of the Year: Donald Van Velzer, Army

Coach of the Year: John Officer, Navy