April 25, 2007
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - For the first time in program history, San Diego State took home all three Mountain West Conference men's tennis postseason awards the league announced Wednesday evening at the annual championship banquet. Senior Markus Dickhardt was named player of the year, while teammate Achim Ceban garnered freshman of the year accolades and head coach Gene Carswell became the first three-time coach of the year in league history.
Dickhardt, who also earned all-MWC singles and doubles honors, becomes the first Aztec since Oliver Maiberger in 2003 and the fifth overall to win the conference's highest individual honor. Dickhardt joins Maiberger, who won the award three straight years (2001-03), and Alex Waske, who earned the honor in 2000, as the only Aztecs to be named the league's top player.
Currently the 38th-ranked singles player in the nation, Dickhardt went 5-1 at No. 1 during league action and in the process, defeated three nationally ranked opponents to earn his fourth all-singles award. In doubles, he and Christian Groh posted a 4-2 record at the top of the order and combine to form the 22nd-ranked duo in America. The all-conference doubles selection is Dickhardt's second in as many seasons.
Ceban won freshman of year honors behind the strength of his 5-1 singles record, while playing all but one of his matches at No. 4 singles. The Russian began the league slate with a pair of victories and closed the season on a high note winning three straight to help the Aztecs clinch their third consecutive regular season title on neutral ground at the Air Force Academy. In doubles, Ceban teamed with Billy Timu and Anthony Gomez throughout conference play and posted a 3-3 record at No. 2. Ceban is just the second Aztec to earn league freshman of the year accolades joining Dickhardt, who won the award in 2004.
Carswell was voted MWC coach of the year by his peers for a third consecutive season after directing SDSU to a perfect 6-0 league record en route to its third straight regular season crown. In the last three years, the fourth-year head coach has guided San Diego State to an unblemished 17-0 conference mark. With the award, Carswell is now the only coach in league history to be named the league's top coach three times.
In addition to sweeping the conference's three most prestigious awards, San Diego State's Groh was recognized by the league as he was selected as an all-singles and all-doubles performer. The senior sported a 3-3 record in singles, while playing at No. 2, and teamed with Dickhardt to form a formidable duo atop the doubles ladder. The singles honor is the second of Groh's career, while his doubles recognition is his first.
Through the first eight years of the MWC, the Aztecs have had 22 all-singles selections, 11 all-doubles picks, five players of the year, four coaches of the year and two freshmen of the year.
After receiving the top seed and a first-round bye in the league championship, San Diego State will face the winner of Thursday's quarterfinal match between No. 4 seed New Mexico and fifth-seeded Brigham Young on Friday, April 27, at 10 a.m. MDT. The winner of Friday's semifinal will advance to the finals set for Saturday, April 28, at 2 p.m., at the Air Force Academy.