2006 Men's Tennis All-Conference Teams Announced

Middlebury's Waldron, Olson Come Away with Individual Honors

HADLEY, Mass. - Middlebury senior Brian Waldron (Rye, N.Y.) has been named the 2006 NESCAC Player of the Year, while freshman teammate Conrad Olson (Waterloo, Belgium) also took home individual honors as the league’s Rookie of the Year, as determined by the conference’s coaches. The two were a part of a Panther squad that captured a third-consecutive NESCAC title at this year’s championship.

Waldron has been virtually unstoppable this season for Middlebury, holding a 25-3 singles record while playing at first singles for a majority of the season. In addition to being named Player of the Year, Waldron, who has won nine of his last 10 singles matches in straight sets, also received recognition on the NESCAC All-Conference First Team Singles, the third consecutive year that he has received All-NESCAC honors. Waldron’s victory in first singles against Williams on April 30 gave Middlebury a 4-3 advantage in the NESCAC Championship.

Teammate Olson has been equally impressive this season with a 22-4 singles record, going 15-2 since March. The freshman added NESCAC All-Conference Second Team Singles honors to his Rookie of the Year award. Olson most recently won his singles match at the 2006 NESCAC Men’s Tennis Championship, 6-3, 6-3 on April 30 against Williams.

Senior Ari Beilin (Hamilton, Mass.) of Middlebury earned All-NESCAC accolades for the second season in a row at both singles and doubles. Beilin, one of three Panthers to receive All-Conference First Team Singles this year, is fresh off a 6-0, 6-3 victory in the NCAA Men’s Tennis Regional on May 7. As impressive as his 22-6 singles record is, Beilin also holds an equally-impressive 14-3 doubles record with junior partner Alex Scott (Mt. Kisco, N.Y.) this Spring. Scott also earned All-Conference First Team Doubles for the second year in a row.

Bates senior William Boe-Wiegaard (Georgetown, Conn.) is the final holdover on the NESCAC All-Conference First Team Singles from a year ago. Boe-Wiegaard, the NESCAC Rookie of the Year in 2003 and a three-time All-American, has earned All-NESCAC Singles honors in each of his four years at Bates. 2006 will be the first year, though, that Boe-Wiegaard can add the honor of All-Conference First Team Doubles to his already-long list of accolades. Paired with classmate Tristan Beach (Grand Rapids, Mich.), who also earned First Team Doubles recognition, the two have played the entire season together at doubles, amassing a 19-7 record. Beach and Boe-Wiegaard will have a chance to compete together at the NCAA Men’s Tennis Championship in Fredricksburg, Va. on May 20.

The remaining members of the NESCAC All-Conference First Team Singles are senior Nate Edmunds (Birmingham, Mich.) of Middlebury, sophomore Daniel Greenberg (Chapel Hill, N.C.) of Williams, and junior Brian Marsden (Hingham, Mass) of Trinity. Edmonds sports a 24-5 singles record this season, and was also honored with Second Team Doubles. Greenberg, the 2005 NESCAC Rookie of the Year, is 11-6 in 2006, while Marsden finished his season with a 10-6 singles record.

Rounding out the NESCAC All-Conference First Team Doubles are Williams’ duo of senior Scott MacKenzie (Lafayette, Calif.) and sophomore Gary Simonette (Finksburg, Md.). The pair have played all but one match together at doubles this Spring.

The Clarence Chaffee Sportsmanship Award was shared between two individuals this season, Williams senior Bryan Monier (Dallas, Texas) and Amherst senior Josh Rilla (Westboro, Mass.). The Clarence Chaffee Award is given annually to the individual who best combined and displayed a high standard of tennis coupled with the highest levels of sportsmanship.

Trinity head coach Paul Assaiante was the choice among the coaches, as he earned Coach of the Year honors for the first time in his nine seasons at the helm of the Bantams. Assaiante guided Trinity this season to the semifinals of the NESCAC tournament and a third consecutive showing in the NCAA Tournament.