LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – UNLV's
Ilia Snitari has been named Mountain West Men's Tennis Player of the Year for the second straight season while teammate
Marko Maksimovic is the league's Freshman of the Year to lead the conference's honors announced Tuesday night on the eve of the postseason tournament here at the Darling Center.
Snitari, a sophomore from Kishinev, Moldova, is ranked 65th in the nation in singles. Already an All-American, he is 27-2 this season (35-2 in his Rebel career) overall, 15-1 playing at the No. 1 spot in dual matches and 4-0 vs. MW opponents. He was named the league's player of the week two times in 2026. He was also named All-Mountain West in doubles along with partner
Arda Karakas, a redshirt freshman from Ismir, Turkey. Playing at the top of the lineup, the duo stands 11-2 overall.
This marks the 12th time a Rebel has earned a conference MVP nod. He is the first repeat winner since UNLV Athletics Hall of Famer
Roger Pettersson was named Big West Player of the Year from 1994-96.
Maksimovic, a rookie from Belgrade, Serbia, is the fifth men's player from the school to earn Conference Freshman of the Year, and the first since Snitari did it just last season. A four-time winner of the MW Freshman of the Week award, he stands 10-4 overall at the No. 2 position in the lineup, including 4-2 vs. MW foes.
No. 74 UNLV (13-7), led by third-year head coach
Andy Jackson opens tomorrow's MW Championship tourney vs. Grand Canyon starting with doubles play at 5 p.m. Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for students each day and can be purchased
HERE. All men's and women's tournament matches are available to watch online at
TheMW.com.
2026 ALL-MW SINGLES TEAM
Ilia Snitari
Marko Maksimovic
2026 ALL-MW DOUBLES TEAM
Ilia Snitari
Arda Karakas
UNLV MEN'S TENNIS CONFERENCE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
2026 —
Ilia Snitari (MW)
2025 —
Ilia Snitari (MW)
2022 — Christopher Bulus (MW)
2018 — Alexandr Cozbinov (MW)
2017 — Jakob Amilon (MW)
2011 — Mehdi Bouras (MW)
2005 — Henner Nehles (MW)
1996 — Roger Pettersson (Big West)
1995 — Roger Pettersson (Big West)
1994 — Roger Pettersson (Co) (Big West)
1987 — Scott Warner (PCAA)
1986 — Scott Warner (PCAA)
UNLV MEN'S TENNIS CONFERENCE FRESHMEN OF THE YEAR
2026 —
Marko Maksimovic (MW)
2025 —
Ilia Snitari (MW)
2013 — Gilad Berman (MW)
2009 — Mehdi Bouras (MW)
2002 — Aviram Salomon (MW)
