April 27, 2005

Dante Cipulli was named the MIAA MVP for the second year in a row.

Daniel Prerad was named the MIAA Freshman of the Year.

OVERLAND PARK, KS. ... Cleaning up the awards for MIAA tennis, the Southwest Baptist University Bearcats claimed six players on the all-MIAA First-Team along with taking three of the top four awards. SBU claimed their third straight MIAA Championship this past weekend and their 13th overall.

For the fifth time out of the last seven weeks, SBU was also given the MIAA Player of the Week. Senior Johan Nortje (Port Elizabeth, South Africa) received the reward for going 2-0 in both singles and doubles matches in the MIAA Tournament. Dante Cipulli (Tucamon, Argentina) had won four MIAA Player of the Week awards earlier this season.

SBU dominated the all-MIAA First-Team as claimed players on the #1 through #5 singles and swept the doubles awards for #1 through #3.

Taking the MIAA MVP for the second year in a row is Cipulli. SBU has now had the MIAA MVP the past three years as Andras Bori won it in 2003. Along with the MVP he made the all-MIAA First-Team as a unanimous selection for #1 singles and #1 doubles. He is the #1 NCAA Division II singles player in the nation and finished the regular season undefeated in singles play. He won the MIAA Player of the Week honor four times this season along with the ITA NCAA Division II singles and Small Colleges Super Bowl National Championships.

Johan Nortje, a unanimous selection for #1 doubles, was also First-Team for #5 singles. This is the second year in a row he has been on the First-Team. A unanimous selection for #3 doubles, Peter Joos (Budapest, Hungary) was also First-Team for #3 singles.

Freshman Daniel Prerad (Perth, Australia) was named the MIAA Freshman of the Year along with being a unanimous selection for both #2 singles and #2 doubles. His partner, Hunter Emmott (Tomball, Texas) was also unanimous for #2 doubles and named to the First-Team for #4 singles.

The final unanimous selection was Brian Bajema (St. Louis, Missouri) for #3 doubles with Peter Joos. Bajema made the second-team for #6 singles, too.

For the third straight year, John Bryant claimed the MIAA Coach of the Year for his team’s success.

SBU is currently #28 in the nation and #1 in the North Central Region. They are awaiting the seeds for the NCAA Regional Tournament in which they have a chance to host.

All-MIAA First Team
Dante Cipulli +& 1S/1D
Daniel Prerad +& 2S/2D
Peter Joos & 3S/3D
Hunter Emmott & 4S/2D
Johan Nortje & 5S/1D
Brian Bajema & 3D

All-MIAA Second Team
Brian Bajema 6S

+ Unanimous selection in singles
& Unanimous selection in doubles
Flights are abbreviated by number and event(1S=No.1 singles; 2D=No. 2 doubles)