Heinrich Awarded Second Empire 8 Men’s Tennis Athlete of the Week Honor
Mark Becker
HOBOKEN, N.J. (April 29, 2013) – Stevens Institute of Technology men’s tennis freshman
Matthew Heinrich (Hendersonville, Tenn.) has been named the Empire 8 Conference Athlete of the Week for the second time this season.
Heinrich was victorious in all four of his matches between first singles and doubles this week, including wins at both courts (6-3, 6-1 at #1 singles; 8-6 at #1 doubles over the No. 10-ranked duo in the Northeast region) in the Ducks’ first-ever victory over ranked opponent against previously undefeated No. 30 The College of New Jersey on Wednesday. He also swept first doubles, 8-0, and won first singles, 6-3, 6-0, in the regular season finale versus Nazareth College on Saturday.
The honor is Heinrich’s second of the season and the Ducks’ fourth overall, as senior
Shota Tasaki (Greenwich, Conn.) was recognized twice as well. The No. 15-ranked singles player in the Northeast region, Heinrich closed out an incredible rookie season with a 21-5 overall record, including a 7-1 mark since moving to first singles, and a 16-3 record at first doubles with senior
Chris Rosensteel (East Windsor, N.J.) as the No. 3-ranked pairing in the Northeast. Heinrich helped lead Stevens to a 13-7 overall record, with all seven losses having come to national Top-27 teams, and a third-straight perfect record (7-0) in conference play, all of which should make him a serious contender for Empire 8 Player of the Year honors.
Head Coach Steve Gachko will lead Heinrich and the rest of the Ducks in the Empire 8 Championship as they host No. 4 seed St. John Fisher College (6-10, 4-3) in the first semifinal match at 10 a.m. A preview of the tournament can be found
here.