PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The American Athletic Conference has announced its weekly tennis honors for the week-ending March 12.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE MEN’S TENNIS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Ryan Peniston • Sr. • Memphis • Great Wakering, England
Peniston went 2-0 at No. 1 singles and 2-0 at No. 1 doubles, scoring three wins against ranked opponents to lead Memphis to two victories against ranked teams. He registered a three-set win (6-7 (4), 6-2, 6-4) against Tulane's Constantin Schmitz, the 2017 American Player of the Year who was ranked No. 15 nationally, giving the Tigers a 4-3 win against the No. 34 Green Wave. Peniston went on to score a straight-set win (7-6 (4), 6-0) win against Oklahoma State's No. 1 player, who was ranked No. 78, in Memphis' 4-0 win against the No. 15 Cowboys. Peniston improved to 9-1 in singles play this season, including five wins against ranked opponents.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE WOMEN’S TENNIS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Fatima Bizhukova • So. • Wichita State • Balashiha, Russia
Bizhukova, who is No. 84 in last week's Oracle/ITA singles rankings, won a pair of singles matches at the No. 1 position to lead No. 23 Wichita State to wins against Hawaii and North Texas. She was a three-set winner in a 6-1 victory against Hawaii and scored a straight-set win against North Texas' top player, who was ranked No. 43 nationally, in a 4-2 decision against the Mean Green. Bihukova improved her dual match record to 8-3 on the season.
AROUND THE AMERICAN
Memphis' men's team has moved up to No. 24 in the March 13 Oracle/ITA Collegiate Rankings. The Tigers had been ranked No. 45 in last week's poll. Tulane stands at No. 34.
The American has three women’s teams in the March 13 Oracle/ITA Collegiate Rankings as UCF stands at No. 24, Wichita State is No. 27 and Tulsa is No. 32.
Tulane’s Constantin Schmitz is ranked No. 15 in the March 6 Oracle/ITA Rankings. Memphis’ Ryan Peniston is No. 63, USF’s Alberto Barroso-Campos is No. 71, Tulsa’s Joshua Goodger is No. 71, Tulane’s Ewan Moore is No. 77, Tulsa’s Majed Kilani is No. 119 and UCF’s Alan Rubio is No. 124. UCF’s doubles tandem of Korey Lovett/Eero Vasa is ranked No. 11, Wichita State’s Marius Frosa/Murkel Dellien is No. 76 and Tulane’s Tyler Schick/Luis Erienbusch is No. 80.
ECU’s Celia Ruiz was ranked No. 53 in the Feb. 20 ITA singles rankings. Ksenia Laskutova of Tulsa is No. 71, Fatima Bizhukova of Wichita State is No. 85, Rebeka Stolmar of UCF is No. 92, Martina Okalova of Tulsa is No. 92, Sandra Honigova of Wichita State is No. 102. In doubles, Houston’s tandem of Tsveta Dimitrova/Sveva Mazzari is No. 54 and Hanna Sohn/Katherine Cao of Memphis is No. 78.
The American Athletic Conference Men’s and Women’s Tennis Championships will be held in April at the SMU Tennis Complex in Dallas.
MEN’S TENNIS UPDATE
UCF (4-6) has dropped its last four matches, including three straight by 4-3 scores, after the Knights fell in a heartbreaker to Virginia. UCF plays three matches at home this week, beginning with Wednesday's contest against No. 30 Minnesota. The Knights host Indiana Friday and No. 50 Miami (Fla.) Sunday.
UConn (3-8) dropped its opening match in Bradenton, Florida, as the Huskies dropped a 6-1 decision to Drexel. UConn looks to snap a six-match slide with two more contests this week, a Tuesday match against Colgate and a Wednesday match against Quinnipiac.
ECU (15-3) has won its last seven matches after the Pirates scored three more wins in Orlando, Florida, last week. The Pirates began the week with a 5-2 victory against Xavier and followed that effort with a 7-0 victory against Division II Grand Valley State and a 6-1 decision against Division III Coe. ECU is back in action Sunday at Richmond.
Memphis (8-4) is No. 24 in the March 13 Oracle/ITA team rankings. The Tigers made a sizeable jump in the rankings after they scored two wins against ranked opponents last week. Memphis edged No. 34 Tulane 4-3 when Ryan Peniston won a three-set battle with the Green Wave's Constantin Schmitz, the 2017 American Player of the Year, at the No. 1 position. Memphis went on to beat then-No. 14 Oklahoma State 4-0 as Peniston, Andrew Watson (at No. 2) and Ian Pallares (at No. 6) all won in straight sets. Memphis heads to the West Coast this week to play in the San Diego Invitational.
USF (4-8) went 2-1 last week as the Bulls scored wins against George Washington (6-1) and Utah State (5-2), but fell 4-3 to No. 35 Old Dominion. USF heads west for its competition this week as the Bulls visit Pepperdine Wednesday and play in the BNP Paribas Collegiate Challenge Friday through Sunday.
SMU (7-8) took both ends of a doubleheader against Prairie View A&M as the Mustangs were 5-2 winners in the opener before taking a 7-0 decision in the nightcap. SMU will host No. 9 Columbia Wednesday and play in the BNP Paribas Collegiate Challenge Friday through Sunday.
Temple (8-4) split a pair of matches last week. The Owls extended their winning streak to three matches with a 4-2 victory against Monmouth, but saw No. 42 Princeton end the run by handing Temple a 7-0 setback. The Owls are back in action Saturday with a trip to Washington, D.C., to face Georgetown.
Tulane (9-5) played four matches in a busy week as the Green Wave came away with three wins. Tulane dropped a 4-3 heartbreaker to then-No. 45 Memphis, which was decided by a three-set match at the No. 1 singles spot. Tulane bounced back with a 7-0 win against Michigan State and 7-0 and 6-0 victories in a doubleheader sweep of Alcorn State. The Green Wave is back in action Thursday against Auburn. Tulane is No. 34 in this week's Oracle/ITA rankings.
Tulsa (9-10) went 2-1 in its three dual matches last week as the Golden Hurricane fell 4-0 to No. 14 Oklahoma State, knocked off NO. 46 Drake 4-2, and scored a 5-2 victory against Omaha. Tulsa heads to Palm Springs, California, this week for the BNP Paribas Collegiate Challenge Friday through Sunday.
Wichita State (7-7) took one of its three dual matches last week as the Shockers fell to No. 15 Oklahoma 4-1, took a 4-1 victory against Nebraska, and fell 4-3 to New Mexico only eight days after defeating the Lobos. Wichita State's only match this week will be Sunday against No. 22 Dartmouth.
WOMEN’S TENNIS UPDATE
UCF (11-2) has moved up to No. 24 in the March 13 Oracle/ITA rankings after the Knights took three wins last week. UCF began the week with a 6-1 win against East Tennessee State, scored a 5-2 decision against Penn State and closed the week with a 4-1 win against Memphis. The Knights have been led by Rebeka Stolmar, who has an 11-1 dual match record, playing primarily at the No. 3 position. UCF resumes collegiate competition March 21 against Clemson.
Cincinnati (7-6) was idle last week. The Bearcats return to action Tuesday against UTEP in Tampa, Florida, before visiting USF Wednesday.
UConn (7-6) won its first two matches on its spring trip to Bradenton, Florida, as the Huskies topped Drexel (5-2) and Army (5-2). UConn wraps up its Florida schedule Tuesday, with matches against Colgate and Northern Iowa.
ECU (10-4) earned a pair of dual match wins to complete its trip to Orlando, Florida. The Pirates took a 7-0 win against Division II Grand Valley State and were 6-1 winners against Hampton. ECU will take on two of its American Athletic Conference counterparts this week with a Friday match at Memphis and a Saturday battle with Tulane.
Houston (14-1) extended its winning streak to six matches with a pair of dual wins Monday. The Cougars scored 4-0 victories against Louisiana and UTRGV. Tsveta Dimitrova leads the Cougars with a 12-2 dual match record, all at the No. 1 spot on the singles ladder. Houston visits North Florida Thursday and is at USF Friday.
Memphis (8-7) had a busy week in the state of Florida as tte Tigers took a 6-1 win against Penn State in Orlando, but dropped 4-1 decisions to American Athletic Conference counterparts USF and UCF. The Tigers play two matches in Memphis this week with a Friday contest against ECU and a Sunday date with Tulane.
USF (6-7) enjoyed its best week of the season as the Bulls won three dual matches. USF was a 4-3 winner against Michigan State, a 4-1 winner against Memphis and a 7-0 winner against UTEP. Evelyne Tiron came up with the clinching point in the win against the Spartans with a three-set victory at No. 3 singles. USF hosts a pair of American Athletic Conference schools this week with a Wednesday match against Cincinnati and a Friday contest against Houston.
SMU (5-7) split a pair of matches last week as the Mustangs dropped a 5-2 decision to Kansas State and scored a 5-2 win against Georgia State. The Mustangs are back in action Friday against Troy in their only dual match of the week.
Temple (5-4) has won its last four dual matches after the Owls took a 7-0 win against La Salle and a 6-1 decision against Fordham. Temple makes a short road trip to Penn for a pair of matches this week as the Owls face Delaware Friday and Penn Saturday.
Tulane (7-7) was in action for the first time since Feb. 25, but the Green Wave fell in a pair of dual matches against ranked opponents. Tulane dropped a 6-1 decision to No. 45 Virginia Tech and fell 5-2 to No. 39 Old Dominion. Tulane plays its next four matches against American Athletic Conference teams, beginning with Saturday's match against ECU and Sunday's contest at Memphis.
Tulsa (13-3) is ranked No. 32 in this week's Oracle/ITA rankings. The Golden Hurricane split a pair of dual matches last week as Tulsa dropped a 6-1 decision to No. 15 Kansas and took a 5-0 victory against Texas A&M Corpus Christi. Tulsa plays its next three matches against American Athletic Conference opponents, including Saturday's match against No. 27 Wichita State.
Wichita State (13-4) stands at No. 27 in the Oracle/ITA rankings after the Shockers picked up a pair of wins last week. Wichita State was a 6-1 winner at Hawaii and a 4-2 winner against North Texas. The Shockers return to the road Saturday to face No. 32 Tulsa in their only match of the week.
This Week In The American
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| Tuesday, March 13 |
UConn vs. Colgate (Bradenton, Fla.) |
9 a.m. |
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| Wednesday, March 14 |
UConn vs. Quinnipiac (Bradenton, Fla.) |
10 a.m. |
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Columbia at SMU |
Noon |
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USF at Pepperdine |
3 p.m. |
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Minnesota at UCF |
6 p.m. |
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| Thursday, March 15 |
Tulane at Auburn |
1 p.m. |
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Memphis at San Diego Invitational |
TBD |
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| Friday, March 16 |
Memphis at San Diego Invitational |
TBD |
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Indiana at UCF |
6 p.m. |
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USF at BNP Paribas Collegiate Challenge |
TBD |
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SMU at BNP Paribas Collegiate Challenge |
TBD |
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Tulsa at BNP Paribas Collegiate Challenge |
TBD |
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| Saturday, March 17 |
Temple at Georgetown |
6 p.m. |
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Memphis at San Diego Invitational |
TBD |
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USF at BNP Paribas Collegiate Challenge |
TBD |
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SMU at BNP Paribas Collegiate Challenge |
TBD |
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Tulsa at BNP Paribas Collegiate Challenge |
TBD |
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| Sunday, March 18 |
UConn at Brown |
9 a.m. |
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Dartmouth at Wichita State |
Noon |
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Miami (Fla.) at UCF |
1 p.m. |
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ECU at Richmond |
TBD |
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USF at BNP Paribas Collegiate Challenge |
TBD |
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SMU at BNP Paribas Collegiate Challenge |
TBD |
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Tulsa at BNP Paribas Collegiate Challenge |
TBD |
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| WOMEN |
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| Tuesday, March 13 |
UConn vs Colgate (Bradenton, Fla.) |
10 a.m. |
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Cincinnati vs. UTEP (Tampa, Fla.) |
Noon |
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UConn vs. Northern Iowa (Bradenton, Fla.) |
4 p.m. |
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| Wednesday, March 14 |
Cincinnati at USF |
Noon |
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| Thursday, March 15 |
Houston at North Florida |
Noon |
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| Friday, March 16 |
ECU at Memphis |
11 a.m. |
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Houston at USF |
Noon |
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Troy at SMU |
Noon |
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Temple vs. Delaware |
4:45 p.m. |
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| Saturday, March 17 |
Temple at Penn |
1 p.m. |
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ECU vs. Tulane (Memphis, Tenn.) |
11 a.m. |
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Wichita State at Tulsa |
3 p.m. |
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| Sunday, March 18 |
Tulane at Memphis |
11 a.m. |
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| all times Eastern |
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Last Week’s Results
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| Wednesday, March 7 |
ECU 5, Xavier 2 |
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Penn State 4, UCF 3 |
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Memphis 4, Tulane 3 |
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| Thursday, March 8 |
ECU 7, Grand Valley State 0 |
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Oklahoma 4, Wichita State 1 |
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ECU 6, Coe 1 |
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| Friday, March 9 |
Tulane 7, Michigan State 0 |
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USF 6, George Washington 1 |
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Tulane 7, Alcorn State 0 |
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Tulane 7, Alcorn State 0 |
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Oklahoma State 4, Tulsa 0 |
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| Saturday, March 10 |
Old Dominion 4, USF 3 |
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Temple 4, Monmouth 2 |
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Wichita State 4, Nebraska 1 |
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| Sunday, March 11 |
Drexel 6, UConn 1 |
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USF 5, Utah State 2 |
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Princeton 7, Temple 0 |
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Tulsa 4, Drake 2 |
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Virginia 4, UCF 3 |
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New Mexico 4, Wichita State 3 |
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Memphis 4, Oklahoma State 0 |
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Tulsa 5, Omaha 2 |
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| Monday, March 12 |
SMU 5, Prairie View A&M 2 |
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SMU 7, Prairie View A&M 0 |
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| WOMEN |
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| Wednesday, March 7 |
ECU 7, Grand Valley State 0 |
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USF 4, Michigan State 3 |
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ECU 6, Hampton 1 |
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UCF 6, East Tennessee State 1 |
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Wichita State 6, Hawaii 1 |
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| Thursday, March 8 |
Memphis 6, Penn State 1 |
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Temple 7, La Salle 0 |
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| Friday, March 9 |
Temple 6, Fordham 1 |
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USF 4, Memphis 1 |
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Kansas 6, Tulsa 1 |
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Kansas State 5, SMU 2 |
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| Saturday, March 10 |
UCF 5, Penn State 2 |
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Wichita State 4, North Texas 2 |
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Virginia Tech 6, Tulane 1 |
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UCF 4, Memphis 1 |
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| Sunday, March 11 |
Old Dominion 5, Temple 2 |
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SMU 5, Georgia State 2 |
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UConn 5, Drexel 2 |
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Tulsa 5, Texas A&M Corpus Christi 0 |
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| Monday, March 12 |
UConn 5, Army 2 |
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Houston 4, Louisiana 0 |
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USF 7, UTEP 0 |
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Houston 4, UTRGV 0 |