March 2, 2011

LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - UNLV men's tennis senior standout Mehdi Bouras has been named the Mountain West Conference Player of the Week for the third consecutive time, the league announced Wednesday.

Overall, the product of Paris, France, has won four such honors this season and five in his career. He is the first tennis player from UNLV to ever win a conference award three consecutive weeks and is the first men's player from the school to earn four honors in one season, breaking a three-way tie with former greats Elliot Wronski (three in 2007) and Thomas Schneiter (three in 2002). Bouras is now just one away from tying the Rebel record for weekly awards in a career (Wronski had six from 2007-09).

Bouras went a combined 4-0 last weekend to lead the Rebels to victories over 31st-ranked Fresno State and 58th-ranked Arkansas. On Friday against the Bulldogs, Bouras, who entered the match ranked No. 76 in the nation, rallied from a first-set deficit to down 83rd-ranked Rikus de Villiers 0-6, 6-2, 6-2. Earlier in the match, he teamed with partner Bernard Schoeman to knock off the 29th-ranked doubles tandem of de Villers and Remi Boutillier 8-3. On Sunday, Bouras won his seventh consecutive dual singles match, securing a 6-2, 6-4 victory over the Razorback's Matt Hogan at the No. 1 singles position. Bouras and Schoeman also earlier won their doubles match, 8-6, over Hogan and Matt Walters.

On Tuesday, Bouras moved up to No. 66 in the nation in singles and earned his first career doubles ranking at No. 58. The 44th-ranked Rebels (10-5) will be back in action on Friday when they take on Nebraska in a neutral-site meeting in Denver.