Grizzly freshman shines in final round of leage POTW awards
4/20/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
April 20, 2011
University of Montana men's tennis player Mikolaj Caruk was honored by the Big Sky Conference Wednesday, winning the final Big Sky Player of the week award for 2011. The Grizzly freshman was selected for his efforts in three 4-3 UM victories which moved the Grizzlies from fifth to second in Big Sky standing over three matches.
Caruk won all three singles matches in vital victories for the Grizzlies, stepping up from No. 4 to No.2 in Saturday's match vs. then Big Sky No. 2 NAU.
On Friday against tournament hosts Montana State, Caruk played at No. 2 doubles with teammate David Cysneiros defeating the Bobcats' Diego Campos-Contreras and Albert Fuentes 9-7, leading to a Grizzles doubles point win. In singles, Caruk played at the No. 4 position, again defeating Campos-Contreras 6-1, 6-4. On Saturday, Caruk stepped up to No. 2 singles in a must-win situation against Northern Arizona. Caruk came from behind to become victorious over Patrick Schimmelbauer 1-6, 7-5, 6-3. Caruk stepped up for the team while the Grizzlies' Nos. 1 and 2 players recovered from injuries sustained against Montana State the previous day. On Sunday against Weber State, Caruk took his singles match back at the No. 4 position with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 win over Peter Schimmelbauer. The win over Schimmelbauer took Caruk to a 6-1 league play record and 11-6 overall. Caruk is the second Montana player to receive player of the week after Carl Kuschke received two in February.
Following the POTW announcement Wednesday, Caruk said, "I feel really good, especially because I had never imagined that I would be considered as a freshman.
"Those wins for me, they were all about playing my best and for doing my job for the team. It was my entire priority just to do those two things.
"This award is a big thing for us--for the team and for me. It is for what we all did together last weekend, and it means a lot to me in my first semester here at Montana. Looking forward, it is my main focus just to continue as I have been. It was great thing to make this tournament and we will be giving 100% the whole way."
