PDF of Release
Women's All-Conference Team
Men's All-Conference Team
Ogden, Utah, (May 1, 2014) - Montana’s Haley Driver was named the Big Sky Conference women’s tennis MVP. Montana’s Andrew Warren was named the Big Sky Conference men’s tennis MVP.
The All-Conference selections and individual awards were voted by the league’s head coaches and released by the league office on Thursday.
Driver is the second Grizzly to receive the honor as Montana’s Vanessa Castellano was named MVP in 1996 and 1997. Driver, a junior from Scottsdale, Ariz., went 15-8 overall, at the No. 1 singles spot, and went undefeated in conference play. She helped the Grizzlies snap Sacramento State’s 112-match unbeaten streak vs. conference opponents and led Montana to an undefeated conference season, going 9-0. This is the first time since 2002 that a player from a school other than Sacramento State has been named the women’s tennis MVP. Earlier this week, the Hornets won their 13th-straight Big Sky championship after defeating Montana, 4-3. On May 9, Sacramento State will face fifth-ranked UCLA in the first round of the NCAA Tennis Championship.
Driver teamed up with Precious Gbadamosi at No. 1 doubles. The pair recorded a 16-6 overall record and an 8-1 conference record. Driver is one of three Grizzlies named to the league’s first team. She is joined by senior Ashley Mackey and junior Sasha Carter, who went 9-0 and 8-1 in conference respectively.
Eastern Washington junior Moira Hedberg was named to the first team and is the only two-time first-team selection. Northern Arizona junior Johanna Vang and Portland State junior Dané Vorster were named to the first team, along with Sacramento State sophomore Daria Savchenko and Sacramento State senior Sophie Lohscheidt.
Warren is the first Grizzly in program history to claim the honor. Warren, a senior from Idaho Falls, Idaho, was named to the first team for the second straight season. Warren went 7-2 in conference and 12-9 overall at the No. 2 singles spot. This season, Warren helped the Grizzlies win their first ever Big Sky championship. For the first time in program history, Montana will be heading to the NCAA Tennis Championship. On May 10, the Grizzlies will face No. 2 Oklahoma in the first round.
Warren was one of two Grizzlies named to the league’s first team. He is joined by sophomore Semion Branzburg, who went 9-1 in league play.
Montana State sophomore Niklas Brandes was named to the first team for the third straight season. Weber State sophomore Jakub Gewert and UM’s Warren are the only two-time first-team selections. Eastern Washington freshman Robert Dula and Weber State sophomore Todd Fought were named to the first team, along with Sacramento State junior Roy Brandys and Sacramento State sophomore Niranjan Ram.