April 22, 2009

ALBUQUERQUE - It was a little old and a little new sharing the spotlight for the UNLV men's tennis team as senior Elliot Wronski and freshman Mehdi Bouras were among a trio of Rebels honored as part of the 2009 All-Mountain West Conference tennis team as the league's awards were announced on Wednesday on the eve of the men's tournament.

Wronski, a native of Cheltenham, England, was named first team all-league in both singles and doubles for the third consecutive year. He joins only former Rebel greats Roger Pettersson (1993-96), Luke Smith (1994-97) and Henner Nehles (2003-05) as the only UNLV men's players to earn all-conference honors in singles at least three times in a career. Wronski joins two-time NCAA champion Smith as the only two to get at least three first team nods in both singles and doubles.

Wronski is currently 19-11 in singles and posted an impressive 5-1 record vs. MWC opponents this spring. He was also honored for his doubles work with partner Luca Barlocchi. The duo is ranked 75th in the nation and boasts a 19-9 record playing together. It marks Barlocchi's first doubles nod after the junior out of Zurich, Switzerland, was all-league in singles a year ago.

Joining Wronski on the singles team was Bouras, a rookie standout who was also voted the 2009 MWC Freshman of the Year after turning in a 17-7 singles mark since beginning his UNLV career in January. Bouras, out of Paris, France, is only the second Rebel to earn the major honor, joining Aviram Salomon in 2002.

The trio will lead their team into the MWC championship tournament, which is being hosted by the University of New Mexico, as the sixth-seeded Rebels face third-seeded Utah in a quarterfinal matchup on Thursday.

2009 MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE MEN'S TENNIS AWARDS
PLAYER OF THE YEAR:Johnny Parkes, New Mexico
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR:Mehdi Bouras, UNLV
COACH OF THE YEAR:TBA
2009 ALL-MWC SINGLESEvan Urbina, So., BYUJohnny Parkes, Sr., New MexicoGraeme Kassautzki, Sr., New MexicoAchim Ceban, Jr., San Diego StateJuan Gomez, Jr., San Diego StateEmanu Brighiu, So., TCUKriegler Brink, Sr., TCUSlah Mbarek, Fr., TCUMehdi Bouras, Fr., UNLVElliot Wronski, Sr., UNLVPhillip Eilers, Jr., UtahWes Hancock, Sr., Utah
2009 ALL-MWC DOUBLESJohnny Parkes/Miles Bugby, New MexicoAchim Ceban/Juan Gomez, San Diego StateAdrian Simon/Emanu Brighiu, TCUKriegler Brink/Slah Mbarek, TCUElliot Wronski/Luca Barlocchi, UNLVWes Hancock/Phillip Eilers, Utah