Ashland University freshman Stuart Brdicka was voted the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference men's tennis Freshman of the Year by the league's head coaches, the GLIAC announced on Saturday (April 27) afternoon.
Other players who garnered GLIAC recognition were junior Priyank Soni, a first-team all-conference member, and senior Stanislaw Grzeslo, an honorable mention team member. Brdicka also earned GLIAC second-team all-conference honors.
Brdicka, Soni, and Grzeslo helped lead Ashland to its first GLIAC tournament appearance in its first season since reinstating the program that was last active in 1995.
Brdicka was a GLIAC men's tennis Player of the Week once (Feb. 19), and reached a national doubles ranking of as high as No. 17 on March 27 with his partner, freshman Jordan Phelps. He and Phelps were the highest-ranked all-freshman duo in the nation at the time. Brdicka was 5-3 in conference play at No. 2 singles. Paired with Phelps at No. 1 doubles, he was 3-5 in the GLIAC.
Soni is the first GLIAC men's tennis first-team all-conference player in Ashland's history. He was twice picked as the GLIAC men's tennis Player of the Week (March 19 and April 6). Soni was the No. 1 singles standout for the Eagles, going 6-2 in conference play. In doubles, partnered with Grzeslo, he was also 6-2 at No. 2 doubles.
Grzeslo had an impressive season as well, earning his way to GLIAC honorable mention recognition. He was 5-3 at No. 6 singles in conference play, and was 6-2 in doubles in the GLIAC with Soni.
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