A banner year so far for the Hillsdale College men's tennis team led to a banner haul in Great Midwest Athletic Conference awards on Thursday.
The Chargers, who won the G-MAC regular season title with a perfect 5-0 record and are 13-2 overall, took two of the three major awards handed out by the conference, and had five of its six regular starters make the All-Conference team.
Head coach Keith Turner was named G-MAC Coach of the Year for the second-time in his tenure, joining the honor he won in 2018, the last time he led the Chargers to the title. This year's run was arguably the more impressive job, as Turner had to replace four of the six members of his singles lineup from the previous season. Despite a lineup with only one senior and three true freshmen, the team came together incredibly well over the winter and has won several matches over top Midwest Regional teams since the spring season started in February.
One of those freshmen, Brennan Cimpeanu, was named G-MAC Freshman of the Year as well, the first time a Charger men's tennis player has earned the honor. Stepping into a critical role rarely occupied by a first-year player at No. 2 singles, Cimpeanu has steamrolled the competition, going a perfect 13-0 in singles play this spring. In two matches that were unfinished due to the match already being clinched, Cimpeanu was ahead in both as well. He's been equally adept in doubles play, developing quick chemistry with his partner, senior Gabe Katz, and running up a 14-1 record at No. 2 doubles, including a perfect 5-0 mark in conference matches.
Brennan has family ties at Hillsdale, as his older sister, Hannah, is a three-time first team All-G-MAC player on the women's tennis team who's wrapping up an excellent career this spring. If his first season is any indication, the native of Troy, Michigan is well on his way to writing an impressive legacy of his own at Hillsdale.
The Chargers had three players earn first-team All-G-MAC honors and five total All-G-MAC honorees, matching the high set in 2018. Joining Cimpeanu on the first team are No. 1 singles player Tyler Conrad and No. 3 singles player Brian Hackman.
A sophomore who was originally supposed to be playing in the No. 2 or No. 3 spot entering the spring, Conrad was thrust into the top spot in the line-up ahead of schedule due to a season-ending injury to Ivanhoe Lissanevitch. Although he was not expecting to be in the role, Conrad has done well in it, putting up a 9-5 record despite playing against an opponent's best and usually more experienced player in every single match. He's also been solid at No. 1 doubles, posting a 10-5 record with his partner, freshman Sean Barstow, that included a perfect 5-0 record in G-MAC play.
Hackman battled injuries throughout the year but delivered big-time when it counted in some of Hillsdale's most critical matches at No. 3 singles, posting a 9-3 overall record in singles play. He also partnered effectively with freshman Daniel Gilbert at No. 3 doubles, finishing with an 8-6 record overall but a perfect 5-0 mark in G-MAC play.
Both Katz and Barstow earned second-team honors as well for the Chargers. Katz, a senior, hadn't gotten much singles play early on in his career but stepped up admirably in his final season. He posted a 7-2 record at No. 6 singles despite often only getting to finish the match when the outcome was still in doubt against the best and deepest teams Hillsdale faced, and his 14-1 doubles record with Cimpeanu speaks for itself.
Barstow, meanwhile, proved to be a huge find for the Chargers from Folsom, California. In his first year of collegiate tennis, Barstow posted a 10-5 singles record and proved to be a strong partner for Conrad at the always tough No. 1 doubles position. Like Cimpeanu, if the start to his career is any indication, big things could be coming in the future.
Hillsdale looks to continue its dream run by capturing the G-MAC tournament title this weekend and locking up the program's first-ever NCAA Division II tourney berth. Hillsdale opens play Friday, tomorrow, at 1:30 p.m. CT against Findlay in a G-MAC Semifinal match against Findlay in Owensboro, Kentucky.