May 10, 2005

LAS VEGAS - UNLV tennis star Henner Nehles has been named the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Mountain Region Senior Player of the Year, the national governing body announced Tuesday.

Nehles becomes the fourth Rebel to earn the honor and the first since 2002 when All-American Thomas Schneiter was selected. A national winner of the award, which will be announced later this month, will be chosen from among the eight regional winners.

"Henner was by far the most dominant senior and arguably the best player overall in our region this year," UNLV head coach Owen Hambrook said. "He is a great player and a great person as well and it is nice to see him getting the recognition he deserves."

Nehles, a native of Duisburg, Germany, is quickly becoming one of the most decorated players in program history. Tabbed the school's first conference MVP in nine years last month, Nehles was also a first team All-MWC choice for the third straight spring.

The school-record five-time league player of the week is currently ranked 74th in the nation in singles after peaking at 38th in January. He currently holds a 28-8 overall record, including a torrid 19-5 mark at the No. 1 dual position. His 28 wins tie for the sixth-most in program history and are the best by a Rebel since 1994. His career winning percentage of .718 puts him eighth on the school's all-time list. Also ranked as high as 17th in doubles this spring, he finished with a 20-6 record playing with three different partners.

Nehles will put his 10-match winning streak on the line May 25 when he opens play at the 2005 NCAA Singles Championship at the George P. Mitchell Tennis Center in College Station, Texas.

UNLV ALL-TIME ITA REGIONAL SENIORS OF THE YEARYEAR    PLAYER2005    Henner Nehles2002    Thomas Schneiter2001    Nenad Zivkovic1999    Asaf Tishler
ITA MOUNTAIN REGION 2005 AWARD WINNERS
WILSON/ITA COACH OF THE YEARMike Phillips, Montana StateITA ASST COACH OF YEARLoren Dils, New MexicoITA/ARTHUR ASHE LEADERSHIP AWARDBeck Roghaar, Boise StateITA/TED FARNSWORTH SENIOR PLAYER OF THE YEARHenner Nehles, UNLVITA ROOKIE OF THE YEARLuke Shields, Boise StateITA PLAYER TO WATCHMarko Bundalo, Colorado