Freshman Maravic Makes 12-Player All-Big Ten Team

PARK RIDGE, Ill. -- Freshman Matko Maravic (Zagreb, Croatia/V. Gimnazija) of the University of Michigan men's tennis team was named to the 2005 All-Big Ten Conference team, the league office announced Thursday (April 28). It marks the first time that a Wolverine freshman has earned the honor since 1997, when Matt Wright (1997-2000) received the first of three all-conference nominations. Maravic is one of two freshmen on this year's All-Big Ten squad.

Maravic

Maravic, who earned a Big Ten-record four Athlete of the Week citations during the regular season, enters this week's Big Ten Championship tied for the team lead in overall singles victories (20-12), including a team-best 15-8 record in dual match action at Nos. 1-4. He holds a 10-5 record against Midwest Regional opposition in 2004-05 and a 6-4 mark in Big Ten play.

The first U-M freshman in recent history to compete at the top singles position, Maravic played in instrumental role in Michigan's victories over Indiana and Penn State last weekend (April 23-24) at the Varsity Tennis Center. He earned perhaps his biggest Big Ten victory against the Hoosiers by knocking off No. 57-ranked Jakub Praibis, 6-3, 6-4, to clinch the overall team win for the Maize and Blue. Maravic then ousted No. 80-ranked Mark Barry to give U-M its third team point against the Nittany Lions. Michigan's two victories solidified third place in the Big Ten at 7-3, its highest finish in the league standings since 1999.

Maravic, ranked 79th in this week's ITA national singles rankings, has teamed with sophomore Brian Hung (Hong Kong, China/Sagemont Virtual School) for a team-best 12-5 record at No. 1 doubles in 2005, including an impressive 8-2 showing in the conference. The tandem has been victorious in 10 of its last 12 matches.

Hung received his team's Big Ten Sportsmanship Award for 2005. The 11 student-athletes chosen are individuals who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. In addition, the student-athletes must be in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting. These student-athletes are now candidates for the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award, as the Conference office will honor one male and one female student-athlete from each institution at the end of the school year. Hung is tied with Maravic for the team lead in overall singles victories (20-13), including a 14-7 dual match mark at Nos. 1-3. Hung also holds a team-best record in overall doubles victories at 19-13.

Maravic and Hung will lead 58th-ranked Michigan (14-9, 7-3 Big Ten) into battle at the 2005 Big Ten Championship, held this Thursday through Sunday (April 28-May 1) at the University of Illinois in Champaign, Ill. The third-seeded Wolverines drew a first-round bye and will face No. 6 seed Penn State in the quarterfinals Friday (April 29) at the Illini Grove Courts (2 p.m. CDT).

Following are the 2005 All-Big Ten Conference awards:

ALL-BIG TEN TEAM
Kevin Anderson, Illinois
Ryler DeHeart, Illinois
GD Jones, Illinois
Jakub Praibis, Indiana
Matko Maravic, Michigan
Andrew Formanczyk, Michigan State
Avery Ticer, Minnesota
Tommy Hanus, Northwestern
Christian Tempke, Northwestern
Joey Atas, Ohio State
Devin Mullings, Ohio State
Mark Barry, Penn State

Freshman of the Year
Kevin Anderson, Ilinois

Athlete of the Year
Ryler DeHeart, Illinois

Coach of the Year
Craig Tiley, Illinois

Contact: Marc Ressler (734) 763-4423

University of Michigan Athletics

Players Mentioned

Brian Hung

Matko Maravic

Related Videos