COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Five Western New Mexico University tennis players were named to the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Academic Teams as announced by the conference office Wednesday.


On the men's side, sophomore Rodrigo Almeida (Arapongas, Brazil/Nene Lourenco High School) was named Academic Player of the Year as he holds a 3.42 GPA. This comes on the heels of his Player of the Year honors. From Arapongas, Brazil, he dominated for the Mustangs at the top flight position, posting a 9-1 spot in singles and a 19-3 mark overall. In doubles, with partner Jean Benoit Belin (Nimes, France/Emmanuel d'Alzon High School), they were named to the Second-Team All-RMAC went 12-9 playing at the No. 2 position. Senior Johan Weich (Landskrona, Sweden/Filbornaskolan High School) was also named to the First-Team as he holds a 3.38 GPA and is majoring in business management. From Landskrona, Sweden, recorded a 10-11 mark at singles, playing at No. 1, 2 and 3. In doubles, he was named to the First-Team All-RMAC with teammate Juan Pablo Fuentes (Guadalajara, Mexico/) as the two went 12-9 at the top flight spot.


On the women's side, junior Doris Berberic (Lower Hutt, New Zealand/Hutt Valley High School) was named to the First-Team with her impressive 4.0 GPA and is majoring in psychology. From Lower Hutt, New Zealand, she went 8-13 in singles at the No. 4 position. In doubles, along with teammate Ashley Newell (Las Vegas, NV/Silverado) they were named to the Third-Team All-RMAC doubles team posting a 10-12 mark playing at the No. 2 position. On the Second-Team, senior Nikolina Vukadin (Pale, Bosnia and Herzegovina/Sredwjoskolski Centar Pale) who holds a 3.44 GPA and is majoring computer science. From Pale, Bosnia and Herzegovina,  she was named to the All-RMAC First-Team in singles posting a 10-11 record at the No. 2 position. Along with Ganna Tiurina (Kiev, Ukraine/M.M. Gromov #227), they were also named to the First-Team All-RMAC doubles with a 11-11 record at the top flight. Sophomore Dena Irvin (Farmington, NM/Farmington High School) was named to the Honor Roll with a 3.68 GPA and is majoring in history. From Farmington, N.M., played 11 matches at the No. 5 and No. 6 positions and also went 8-13 in doubles at the No. 3 position with Davida Aragon (Arenas Valley, NM/Cobre High School).


The men will be in action on Wednesday, May 16 when they will compete in the Sweet Sixteen round of the NCAA Championships held in Louisville, Ken., against either Barry or Lynn. The women's team concluded their most successful season with a 10-13 overall record and an RMAC Tournament Championship.