May 5, 2014
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Before embarking upon its first trip to the NCAA Championships in a dozen years, the Purdue men's tennis team held its annual awards banquet Saturday in the Buchanan Club of Ross-Ade Pavilion. Four individual awards were distributed and the trio of seniors, Aaron Dujovne, Mark Kovacs and Szymon Tatarczyk, was honored.
Dujovne was tabbed as the Boilermakers' Most Valuable Player after compiling a combined fall and spring 23-7 mark in singles play and 12-12 in doubles. The native of Santiago, Chile, has posted a 14-4 singles record through the spring campaign, highlighted by an eight match win streak that spanned from Feb. 9 - March 30.
Following Purdue's monster week in early April that saw the Old Gold & Black take down No. 69 Indiana, No. 16 Penn State and narrowly fall to top-ranked Ohio State, Dujovne was named the Big Ten's Men's Tennis Athlete of the Week. During the week, he won all five of his completed matches, two of which were over ranked competition.
Dujovne was also named the team's Most Valuable Player after his sophomore campaign.
The title of Most Improved Player was bestowed to Diego Acosta. Last season during his sophomore campaign, Acosta tallied an overall singles record of 15-13 and was 15-11 in doubles. This year the junior hailing from Cuenca, Ecuador, has strung together records of 20-10 and 13-11, respectively, in singles and doubles.
Teaming with Dujovne in doubles, the pair has upended three nationally ranked opponents, Nos. 21, 28 and 54. The duo garnered national attention by appearing on the April 15 Intercollegiate Tennis Association doubles rankings, checking in at No. 85.
Tatarczyk received the prestigious Laith Al-Agba Team Player Award, an award that is presented to the player who most exemplifies qualities that define Purdue men's tennis; qualities that Al-Agba exemplified throughout his time as a Boilermaker.
• Selflessness: prioritizing one's individual goals to fit the needs of the team for ultimate success
• Passion: demonstrating a desire to excel at his chosen craft so it is clearly recognized by friends and foes alike
• Leadership: leading by example to do what is necessary for the good of the team
• Determination: pursuing excellence with great sense of purpose and conviction
• Compassion: believing friendship and respect are the backbone of the team and taking responsibility to foster a true team environment
Tatarczyk, who hails from Gorzyczki, Poland, also earned the honor last year. The senior was also named as the team's Scholar-Athlete Award winner, an honor he has received each of the three previous seasons.