FERRIS STATE MEN’S TENNIS AWARD WINNERS SELECTED

Jan Talian Garners 2002-03 Team Most Valuable Player Award Honors

Sophomore Martin Hoch received FSU's 2002-03 Most Improved Player Award

A three-time (2000-01 and 2003) first-team All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) selection, Talian compiled a 26-4 overall singles mark and a 24-9 doubles record this campaign at the number one flights. The 2003 GLIAC and Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Great Lakes Region Senior Player of the Year claimed the 2002 Omni Hotels/ITA Great Lakes Region Singles Championship (9/29) and finished 7-0 in league regular-season singles action. Talian, a two-time (2000-01) ITA Division II Singles and Doubles All-America performer, also teamed with sophomore Jason Cole (Rockford) to win the regional doubles crown and place second overall in the Division II field at the 2002 Omni Hotels National Small College Championships (10/17-20) in Corpus Christi, Texas. They completed GLIAC regular-season play with an 8-0 record and were ranked 11th in the latest (April 15) Omni Hotels/ITA Division II National Rankings.

Talian, who was the region’s top-ranked singles and doubles player, also is 16th in the latest national singles rankings after finishing seventh overall at the National Small College Championships. The 2001 FSU Most Valuable Player Award winner concluded his Ferris State career ranked third in career singles wins (84-20) and second in career doubles victories (101-21). He was one victory shy of tying Paul Marcum (85-17; 1988-91) for second place on the school’s career singles victory list. The 6-1 Talian posted a combined 185-41 (.819) career singles and doubles record, which ranks second among the school’s all-time victory and winning percentage leaders.

Sophomore Martin Hoch (Bludenz, Austria) received the team’s Most Improved Player Award. The 6-1 Hoch earned first-team All-GLIAC honors for the second straight campaign after finishing league singles play at 8-0 and attaining an 18-7 overall record at the number three flight. The region’s fifth-ranked singles competitor, Hoch holds a 25-15 (.625) career singles record and a 35-14 (.714) doubles mark to date. He was also listed fifth in the regional doubles rankings along with junior Francisco Valencia (Valencia, Venezuela) as a result of registering a 23-7 record this season.

The team’s Player to Watch Award was presented to freshman Mark Hammelman (Brookfield, Wis.). The 6-0 Hammelman registered a 14-10 singles record, including a 11-9 ledger at the number five flight this campaign. Hammelman, who won eight of his final 10 singles encounters this season, compiled an 8-16 doubles record this year. He recorded a 7-1 league regular-season singles mark.

In addition to Talian and Hoch, Valencia also received first-team all-league laurels this campaign while Cole was a second-team selection. A three-time (2001-03) first-team all-league choice, the 5-7 Valencia was 16-10 in singles play and 23-7 in doubles action at the number two flights this campaign. Cole registered a 21-6 overall singles record this season, including a 20-6 mark at the number four flight.

Ferris State, which was ranked 26th in the latest (April 25) Omni Hotels/Intercollegiate Tennis Association Division II national poll, fell to third-ranked Drury (Mo.) last Thursday (May 8) at the 2003 NCAA Division II Championships held in Sanlando Park at Altamonte Springs, Fla. FSU advanced to the 16-team single-elimination round for the fourth-straight season by claiming one of two Great Lakes Regional Tournament (May 2-3) titles at FSU’s Racquet and Fitness Center in Big Rapids, Mich.

The Bulldogs, who compiled an 18-7 overall record this campaign, made their ninth overall NCAA-II Tournament appearance and reached the national quarterfinal round for the sixth time this season. Ferris placed second in the 2003 GLIAC Men’s Tennis Tournament (4/18-19) at the Midland (Mich.) Community Tennis Center.