Air Force Academy

April 23, 2003

Air Force freshman Shannon Buck and San Diego State senior Oliver Maiberger were named Mountain West Conference Co-Players of the Year Wednesday at the Mountain West Conference Men's Tennis Championship banquet in Provo, Utah. Buck also garnered Freshman of the Year honors, while BYU head coach Jim Osborne was named Coach of the Year.

Buck, the 96th-ranked player in the nation, compiled a 28-3 overall record this season, including a 23-1 record in dual matches. He set a new school record for the best winning percentage in one season at No. 1 singles at .958. Buck swept through the MWC this season, posting a 5-0 record in conference play. He also went 17-6 overall in doubles competition and 15-4 in dual matches.

Air Force's No. 1 doubles team of senior Eric Pittman and sophomore Tyler McClung were named to the all-conference team as well. The duo went 24-5 overall and 20-3 in dual matches during the 2003 campaign.

Maiberger, the No. 34 player in the nation, has an overall record of 26-8 on the year and is 17-4 in dual matches. The Lorsch, Germany, product, also teamed with Ryan Redondo (No. 3 doubles tandem in the nation) to post a 24-7 record on the season, including a 14-3 mark in dual matches, and were the top-ranked duo in the nation at one point earlier this season.

Osborne, meanwhile, collected his second coach of the year honor in three seasons after leading the 61st-ranked Cougars to a 11-9 overall record this season and a share of the MWC regular season title with a 4-1 record.

Air Force finished the regular season with a 20-5 overall record and a 2-3 mark against MWC opponents. The Falcons will face Utah in the first round of the MWC Tournament on Thursday, April 24 in Provo.

2002-03 Mountain West Conference Men's Tennis All-Conference Team

SINGLES
Name, Class, Institution
Shannon Buck, Fr., Air Force
Carlos Lozano, Sr., BYU
Erik Nyman, Jr., BYU
Divan Coetzee, Jr., New Mexico
David Kowalski, So., New Mexico
Bart Scott, Sr., New Mexico
Felix Hardt, Jr., San Diego State
Oliver Maiberger, Sr., San Diego State
Ryan Redondo, Jr., San Diego State
Henner Nehles, So., UNLV
Aviram Salomon, So., UNLV
Daniel Lohff, So., Utah

DOUBLES
Names, Institution
Eric Pittman/Tyler McClung, Air Force
Erik Nyman/Carlos Lozano, BYU
Brent Salazar/Ryan Stotland, New Mexico
Felix Hardt/Gabe Coren, San Diego State
Oliver Maiberger/Ryan Redondo, San Diego State
Roeland Brateanu/Nick Coutts, Utah

CO-PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
Shannon Buck, Fr., Air Force
Oliver Maiberger, Sr., San Diego State

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Shannon Buck, Air Force

COACH OF THE YEAR
Jim Osborne, BYU