Empire 8 Announces 2008 Men's Tennis All-Conference Team
April 30, 2008
ROCHESTER, NY – The Empire 8 announced its Men’s Tennis All-Conference Team with sophomore Taylor Borda of Ithaca College being named the 2008 Empire 8 Men’s Tennis Player of the Year. Gabe Cortes of Elmira College was selected as Rookie of the Year and was named to the all-conference first team. Steve Gachko was named Coach of the Year for leading Stevens Institute of Technology to the conference title.
Borda, the 2007 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year and first-team selection, posted a 20-8 record overall and a 9-1 mark in conference play at first singles. He won both his matches in the Empire 8 tournament, including a thrilling three-setter over fellow first-team selection Zhi Wei Ko of Stevens to avenge his only conference loss. Borda teamed with Danny Borda to repeat as first-team honorees in doubles as well, winning eight of 10 matches in conference play at first doubles.
Cortes lost only one match in conference play all season and each of his wins were in straight sets at first singles.
Zhi Wei Ko was joined on the first team by teammates Ricky Bawa and Arik Zeevy. Ko finished 8-2 in Empire 8 matches at first singles and Zeevy was undefeated in eight conference matches at second singles. Bawa, the Most Valuable Player of the conference championship, won all 10 of his matches at third singles and teamed with Piotr Rusinkiewicz to earn first-team honors playing first doubles. Ko teamed with Jay Lee to garner first-team all-conference recognition in doubles as well.
Freshman Gary Kwiecien of Alfred University received first-team honors after posting a 7-1 mark at second singles in conference play.
One member of each team was named that institution’s representative on the 2008 Men’s Tennis Sportsman of the Year Team. Empire 8 emphasizes that "Competing with Honor and Integrity" is an essential component of a student-athlete’s experience in conjunction with an institution’s educational mission. These honorees have distinguished themselves and consistently exhibit the critical traits as outstanding sportsmen.
2008 Empire 8 Men’s Tennis Awards
Player of the Year: Taylor Borda, Ithaca College
Rookie of the Year: Gabe Cortes, Elmira College
Coach of the Year: Steve Gachko, Stevens Institute of Technology