NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – University of Dayton sophomore
Connor Bruce was named the Atlantic 10 Conference Men's Tennis Most Outstanding Rookie Performer in addition to be named to the First Team All-Atlantic 10. Senior
Steven Karl and sophomore
Matt DeMarco were also earned Second Team All-Conference honors.
The major awards and the two All-Conference Teams were voted on by each of the league's 11 head coaches.
"I'm very happy for all three of our All-Conference Award winners," head coach
Ryan Meyer said. "This season was one for the record books and these three all contributed heavily."
It marks the fourth-consecutive season that Dayton men's tennis has had at least three student-athletes earn All-Atlantic 10 honors, and the first time that Bruce, Karl, and DeMarco have been named to the All-Conference teams.
Bruce becomes the third in program history to win Rookie Performer of the Year, joining Jordan Benjamin in 2016 and Tom Murphy in 2004. With Bruce's addition to the All-Atlantic 10 First Team, the Flyers have now had a member on the First Team All-Conference in each of the last five seasons that awards have been given. No awards were given during the shortened 2020 season.
The sophomore won three Atlantic 10 Performer of the Week honors this season as well as five Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week awards in 2020. Bruce was eligible for the Rookie Performer of the Year as a sophomore due to no one receiving the award last season.
In 2021, Bruce went 14-4 in singles play, including 4-0 against conference opponents, with each of those wins coming in the top singles flight. The sophomore went 2-0 in the Atlantic 10 Championship individually and ended the season on a nine-match winning streak. He also paired with sophomore
Max DeCurtins to win nine doubles matches this season, all in No. 1 doubles.
Karl went 8-4 in No. 2 singles this season, and was a big component to Dayton's 13 wins in 2021. Karl finished 5-2 in his last seven decisions, taking down Theo Ortis from Saint Louis in the first round of the Atlantic 10 Championship.
DeMarco rounds out the list for the Flyers this season, with his first career All-Conference honor. The sophomore went 8-2 on the year, posting a 2-1 conference record. In the first round of the A-10 Championship, DeMarco knocked off Eliott Ekindi of Saint Louis in straight sets. In doubles play, DeMarco and Karl paired together to win six matches, with one of those coming in conference play.
