MEAC Announces Weekly Tennis Honors, presented by Coca-Cola

March 4, 2024March 4, 2024 HRMessenger Staff Howard University, MEAC, MEAC weekly tennis honors, Norfolk State University, Norfolk va, Tennis Weekly Honors

NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk State sophomore Vladisav Gorbatenko was named Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Men’s Tennis Player of the Week, presented by Coca-Cola, while fellow Spartan freshman Frederick McRae was named Men’s Rookie of the Week. Norfolk State senior Gabriela Davidescu was named Women’s Tennis Player of the Week, while Howard freshman Imani Jean earned Rookie of the Week honors.

Gorbatenko (So., Saint-Petersburg, Russia) helped the Spartans go 2-1 on the week with win over Wagner and Loyola (Md.). Gorbatenko won at No. 1 singles against both Wagner (6-3, 7-5) and Loyola (Md.) (4-6, 7-6(7-2), 6-2). In doubles action, he picked up a 6-3 win over the Loyola (Md.) duo of Haggar/Oliver.

Davidescu (Sr., Ploiesti, Romania) went 2-2 in singles action collecting wins against Wagner and Temple. Against Temple’s No. 1, she won in straight sets, 6-4, 6-1, and followed with a win against Wagner’s No. 1, 7-6, 6-2. In the match against Loyola (Md.), she picked up a doubles point alongside teammate Irina Ioana Iurea with a 6-1 win over the Greyhounds No. 1 duo.

McRae (Fr., Toronto, Canada) went 2-0 in singles action and 1-2 in double play as the Spartans went 2-1 on the week with win over Wagner and Loyola (Md.). Against Wagner, McRae won 6-2, 6-3 at singles No. 3 while also picking up a win at No. 3 doubles with partner Boris Lunin, 6-3. He followed with a three-set win at No. 4 singles against Loyola (Md.), 6-4, 4-6, 6-1.

Jean (Fr., Brooklyn, N.Y.) went 1-1 in both singles and doubles action as the Bison took on Georgetown and Temple on the courts. Jean won at No. 6 singles against Georgetown’s Morgan Coburn, 6-2, 6-3, before falling in three sets at No. 5 against Temple. Alongside teammate Nadia Pegram, Jean picked up a 7-6 (10-4) win at No. 1 doubles against the Owls.

Other Top Performers

Naresh Bharathy (North Carolina Central) helped North Carolina Central University go 1-1 last week after recording the same record in singles and doubles action.

Clara Kuehnle (Delaware State) went 1-0 in both singles and doubles action in the Hornets match against St. Joseph’s.

Rachal Niles (Morgan State) picked up a win in singles action while dropping his doubles bout in the Bears match against Navy.