Jeffrey Schorsch (Perrysburg, Ohio/Perrysburg) became the first Valparaiso Crusader to be named Horizon League Men's Tennis Player of the Year on Thursday. Fellow sophomore Dave Bacalla (Skokie, Ill./Niles North) joined Schorsch as a First Team All-League member. The postseason awards were announced at Thursday evening's banquet ahead of the Horizon League Championship in West Lafayette. 

Schorsch is just the fourth men's tennis player to earn conference Player of the Year distinction. Nic Kooyers was the last Crusader to do so, receiving Mid-Continent Conference honors in 2006. 

Schorsch went 27-7 in singles play and 28-5 in doubles action alongside partner Charlie Emhardt (Carmel, Ind./Carmel). The sophomore went 14-4 at No. 2 singles and a perfect 5-0 at No. 1. If he records a win in singles play during Saturday's semifinals of the Horizon League Championship, Schorsch will amend the school record he set for singles victories in a season last spring. He is already fourth on Valpo's all-time career list for singles victories (54) despite the fact he has yet to complete his second full term with the Brown and Gold. With a pair of doubles victories this weekend, Schorsch will move into third place all-time in doubles wins at Valparaiso. 

The Ohio native enters the postseason on a seven-match winning streak in singles. Schorsch and Emhardt closed out the regular season 12-1 in their previous 13 tilts in doubles play. The First Team All-League nomination is the second for Schorsch.

Bacalla joins his classmate as a First Team All-League selection after earning Second Team honors as a freshman in 2014. 

Bacalla put the finishing touches on a 21-9 mark in singles play last weekend while playing the majority of the spring at No. 1. He racked up 23 wins in doubles action, notching 16 of those with freshman Chase Hamilton (Hinsdale, Ill./Central) at No. 2. Bacalla went 5-1 in singles and 4-1 in doubles during Horizon League play.

This marks the first time since the 2005-06 season that the Crusaders have touted two first team all-conference players (Kooyers, Joe Venegas, Mid-Continent).  

Men's Tennis First Team All-League

1.       Jeffrey Schorsch, Valparaiso

2.       Michael Tenzer, Green Bay

3.       Lauri Makikalli, Wright State

4.       Remi Chancerel, Youngstown State

5.       Dave Bacalla, Valparaiso

6.       Leopold Gomez Islinger, Green Bay

Men's Tennis Second Team All-League

1.       Joe VanMeter, Cleveland State

2.       Patryk Koscielski, Detroit

3.       Howard Scott, Green Bay

4.       Nathan Ponton, Detroit

5.       Jorg van der Vloet, Cleveland State

6.       Hugo Morth, Youngstown State

Men's Player of the Year

Jeffrey Schorsch, Valparaiso


Men's Freshman of the Year

Remi Chancerel, Youngstown State


Men's Coach of the Year

Mark Thomas, Green Bay