University of Minnesota Athletics
Wernet Leads Men's Tennis Season Award Winners
5/15/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Tobias Wernet became the first freshman to earn University of Minnesota men’s tennis Most Valuable Player honors since 1989 at the team’s 2007-08 awards banquet on May 14.
Wernet, a Mainz, Germany native, is the fifth freshman to earn the honor since the award was first presented in 1970. He finished the year 17-8 in singles play, winning nine of his last 11 matches of the year. Wernet also had a team-best 7-3 record in Big Ten play, primarily at No. 2 singles.
Other freshmen to earn the team MVP award were Brian Uihlein in 1989, Casey Merickel in 1985, Fredrik Pahlett in 1983 and Bob Amis in 1975.
Wernet also received the Team Spirit Award and was Minnesota’s representative to the all-Big Ten Sportsmanship team. He and Chi Pham have been selected as the team’s captains for the 2008-09 season. Pham was named the team’s Unsung Hero Award winner for the second straight year, becoming the first player to win the honor in consecutive seasons.
Senior Raoul Schwark, who was an all-Big Ten performer for the second straight year, earned the team’s Louis Ratner Memorial Award for outstanding contributions to Gopher tennis. Schwark concluded his career with a 79-41 career singles record and played every match at No. 1 singles while compiling a 23-15 record this season.
Sophomore Dino Bilankov was named the team’s Jerry Noyce Most Improved Player and also received the Len Bailey Award, which is presented to the player who best exemplifies grit, determination and team spirit. Bilankov was 8-4 during the 2006-07 season and finished 22-14 during 2007-08.
Minnesota was 7-17 overall and 4-6 in Big Ten play during the 2007-08 campaign. The Gophers played a demanding schedule and finished 3-16 against nationally-ranked opponents.
