COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – San Diego State's Jan Kirchhoff was selected Mountain West Men's Tennis Player of the Week for his performances in three dual matches at the San Diego Spring Classic, March 22-24.
With his award, the Aztec sophomore garnered the first weekly conference accolade of his career and the team's second of the season after Ignacio Martinez received the honor on March 6.
A native of Berlin, Germany, Kirchhoff posted a 2-1 record in his first three appearances as a collegian in the No. 3 spot on SDSU's singles ladder last weekend. He also joined forces with Martinez to defeat Brian Shi and Robert Wrzesinski of then-No. 38 Harvard at No. 2 doubles to open the tournament last Friday.
After dropping a tight 7-5, 7-5 battle to Shi in singles against the nationally-ranked Crimson, Kirchhoff was the first player off the court in the Aztecs' 4-1 triumph over Drake on Saturday after cruising past the Bulldogs' Barny Thorold by a 6-0, 6-2 count.
The following evening against Memphis, Kirchhoff provided the winning team point in SDSU's dramatic 4-3 victory after rallying for a three-set decision over the Tigers' Jeremy Taylor, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1. Earlier in the match, he teamed with Fabian Roensdorf at No. 2 doubles, as duo held a 5-4 lead over Jan Pallares and Patrick Sydow, before the encounter was abandoned upon the Aztecs clinching the doubles point.
For the season, Kirchhoff leads the Scarlet and Black with an 18-8 overall singles record, including an 8-3 mark this spring. He has already surpassed his win-total from last year when he went 11-15 and 5-9 in dual matches as a freshman.
Last fall, Kirchhoff captured the singles title in the consolation bracket of the ITA Southwest Regional Championships in Malibu, Calif.
Kirchhoff and the Aztecs (8-6) open Mountain West play on Friday when they travel to Utah State for a clash with the Aggies, starting at 11 a.m. MT/10 a.m. PT.