COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – After completing his first three dual matches in an Aztec uniform unscathed, San Diego State's Joe Tyler was named Mountain West Men's Tennis Player of the Week on Wednesday by the conference office.
A transfer from Iowa, Tyler played a key role in SDSU's 2-1 week, combining for a 5-0 record in doubles and singles to earn conference weekly honors for the first time in his career.
In doubles competition, Tyler joined forces with Victor Castro for three victories in the No. 1 position, as the Aztec tandem raised its record to 10-2 on the season. The Corby, England, native also emerged triumphant in two completed singles matches in the No. 2 spot, improving to 8-4 overall with a team-best .667 winning percentage.
In SDSU's season-opening 6-1 conquest of UC San Diego on Feb. 2, Tyler and Castro upended Philip Lan and Daniel Traxler by a 6-2 count, helping the Aztecs secure the early doubles point. Later in singles play, the SDSU senior defeated Lan in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3, propelling the Scarlet and Black to its 12th straight win over the Tritons.
Against Portland on Feb. 6, Tyler was once again a double winner, helping the Aztecs post a thrilling 4-3 victory over the Pilots in a neutral-site affair in Seattle. He and Castro were the first duo off the court after claiming a 6-3 decision over Sema Pankin and Eleftherios Neos, as SDSU earned the crucial doubles point.
Tyler was also instrumental in the Aztecs' comeback in singles vs. Portland. After dropping the first three encounters of the round to fall behind 3-1, he was one of three SDSU players to record a three-set victory, outlasting Neos, 7-5, 2-6, 7-5, which kept the Scarlet and Black alive and tie the match at 3-3.
In SDSU's final match of the week at Washington, Tyler and Castro dealt the Husky pairing of Jack Davis and Brandon Wong their first loss of the spring with another 6-3 triumph. He did not earn a decision later in singles vs. Davis but was the lone Aztec player to win a set against the undefeated UW squad, capturing the second by a 6-3 tally after dropping the opener by an identical score.
Tyler and the Aztecs resume their spring schedule with a three-match road swing this weekend, traveling to UC Santa Barbara on Friday, Feb. 11, before continuing to San Luis Obispo for encounters with Loyola Marymount and Cal Poly on consecutive days, Feb. 12-13.