SEARCY – The Harding men’s tennis team had three players earn All-Gulf South Conference honors Wednesday as the conference released its postseason honors. Receiving an All-GSC nod was junior Olzhas Taniyev, senior Marco Ruiz and freshman Henrique Ruiz.
Taniyev, a native of Almaty, Kazakhstan, earned his second All-GSC honor. This season, he compiled an 11-5 singles record, playing 14 of his 16 matches at the #1 singles position. He won eight of his last 10 singles matches. Taniyev was 12-5 in doubles action, teaming in all but two matches with Chris Beach as Harding’s #2 doubles team.
Marco Ruiz, a senior from Sao Paulo, Brazil who has one year of eligibility remaining, earned his third straight All-GSC honor. Ruiz had one of the best season’s ever by a Harding tennis player, recording a 16-1 singles record. His .941 winning percentage tied the Harding record for a single season. He played 14 of his matches at #3 singles and won his first 13 matches.
Henrique Ruiz, the brother of Marco and also from Sao Paulo, Brazil, collected his first All-GSC honor after posting a 12-5 singles record, playing primarily at #2 singles. The Ruiz brothers combined to form Harding’s #1 doubles team and collected a 14-4 record together.
Harding completed its season with a 16-7 overall record and a runner-up finish in the Gulf South Conference West Division.
Other honorees from the GSC West Division were Julien Beckensteiner of Delta State and Jan Plewinski, Till Heilshorn, Jean Charles Diame and Pierre Tafelski of Ouachita Baptist. Plewinski was the West Division Player of the Year and Diame was the West Division Freshman of the Year. Craig Ward of Ouachita Baptist was the Coach of the Year.