Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Macon, Ga. -- Over a two day span this past weekend ETSU's Enrique Olivares posted a combined 8-0 record and propelled the Buccaneers to the top of the A-Sun standings. For his efforts on the courts, Atlantic Sun officials selected Olivares as the Atlantic Sun Athlete of the Week today.

On Saturday the Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela, native defeated 2006 Second Team All-Conference selection Javier Rodriguez of Belmont, the defending A-Sun champions. Olivares won the No. 2 singles match in two straight games, each by a final score of 6-1. In his next singles event on Saturday, Olivares shut out UVA-Wise's Chris Kostic (6-0, 6-0) at the No. 3 spot.

Sunday would see much of the same for Olivares, who turned in wins over Lipscomb's Jeff West (6-0, 6-1) and Virginia Intermont's Milan Kosicky (6-0, 6-2).

Along with his 4-0 singles record for the weekend, Olivares also paired with teammate Sabastian Serrano to win four doubles matches over Belmont, UVA-Wise, Lipscomb and Virginia Intermont by scores of 8-0, 8-2, 8-2 and 8-2, respectively.

Olivares joins 2007, two-time Athlete of the Week and teammate Lisandro Picardo as the only other recipient of the award to date. The achievement is the second of its kind for Olivares, who was last honored with the same award on March 28, 2006. Olivares was also a 2006 First Team All-Conference selection.

The Atlantic Sun Player of the Week is announced every Tuesday during the 2007 tennis season.

The 12-member league headquartered in Macon, Ga., consists of Belmont, Campbell, ETSU, Gardner-Webb, Jacksonville, Kennesaw State, Lipscomb, Mercer, UNF and Stetson with Florida Gulf Coast and USC Upstate beginning competition in 2007-08.

Other Top Performers:

• Joey Jones, Stetson
[Jr. -- Titusville, Fla. -- Undecided]
Jones earned Stetson's only point against No. 34 South Alabama with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Hernando Ortiz and defeated Tennessee Tech's Louis Steyn 7-5, 7-6. He combined for a 2-0 singles record and a 1-1 doubles record.

• Daniel Hangstefer, Lipscomb
[Fr. -- Chattanooga, Tenn. -- Undecided]
Hangstefer finished the weekend with a 2-1 singles record and a 0-3 doubles record. Against league-leading ETSU, Hangstefer recorded the Bisons only point with a 6-3, 6-7, 6-3 win over Predrag Burmazovic at the No. 4 spot.

• Patrick Russo, Mercer
[Sr. -- Birmingham, Ala. -- Political Science]
Russo went 1-0 in singles and doubles to put Mercer in a two-way tie at the top of the A-Sun with ETSU as the Bears defeated Campbell. He garnered a No. 2 doubles win with teammate Chapman Mitchell and earned the match-clinching win at No. 2 singles with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Campbell's Marc Sifre.