COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Western New Mexico University tennis players Juan Pablo Fuentes (Guadalajara, Mexico/) and Ganna Tiurina (Kiev, Ukraine/M.M. Gromov #227) were named Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Players of the Week as announced by the conference office Wednesday.


Fuentes had a huge week against Division I opponents in Las Vegas. He not only went 3-0 in singles action, but he won all of his matches in straight sets. He opened the week with a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Idaho State. He cruised to a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Southern Utah and then closed the week with a 7-6, 7-6 win over Seattle. All of his singles matches came at the top flight, as he also partnered with Omar Lopez (Naucalpan, Mexico/) for the top doubles position and they collected wins over Seattle, 8-5 and Southern Utah, 8-1. He is now 9-9 on the season in singles action and a perfect 4-0 at the top spot. He is also 10-8 in doubles action with Rodrigo Almeida (Arapongas, Brazil/Nene Lourenco High School) and Lopez.


Tiurina pulled off a win in the top flight against Division I Idaho State in the first match of the week, 6-4. 6-3. She teamed with Ashley Newell (Las Vegas, NV/Silverado) to pull out a doubles win at the No. 1 position the next day against Idaho State, 8-7. They came close to defeating Seattle's double team, dropping an 8-6 decision. In that same match, she nearly defeated the same Idaho State player again, taking the match to three-sets before falling. Tiurina holds a 10-8 singles record, with every match coming at the top position.


Both WNMU tennis teams will be back in action this Saturday when they open RMAC play against CSU-Pueblo beginning at 9 a.m. with the women and the men at 1 p.m. at the WNMU Tennis Courts.