Justin Hermes Receives GLIAC Weekly Award

Big Rapids, Mich. - Ferris State University sophomore men's tennis player Justin Hermes (Colorado Springs, Colo./Cheyenne Mountain) is this week's recipient of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Player of the Week honor as announced Tuesday (March 30) by the league office.

Hermes, who received the honor for the first time in his collegiate career, posted a perfect 3-0 mark in both singles and doubles play last week as the Bulldogs increased their winning streak to five consecutive matches and remained unbeaten (4-0) in GLIAC play. 

The FSU sophomore was a 6-2, 6-2 winner at number four singles versus Albion's Tucker Blake last Tuesday (March 23) and then claimed identical 6-1, 6-1 results against both Tiffin's Brian Coffman and Bryan Little of Findlay at the fifth spot in the lineup in the Bulldogs' trip to Ohio for two matches last weekend (March 26-27). 

Meanwhile, he also paired with fellow sophomore Jack Swan (Milwaukee, Wis./Arrowhead) to finish unbeaten on the week in doubles play at the second flight with the duo’s closest score being a 8-4 decision against the Findlay combination of Bryan Simard and Josh Smedley in Saturday's (March 27) match.  They defeated TU's Leo Vladimirov and Harry Smith by an 8-2 score Friday (March 26) following a decisive 8-2 win over Albion's Brent Parshall and Johnny Vinson on Tuesday.

Hermes owns a 6-7 overall record to date this campaign in singles play and is 4-1 in GLIAC competition.  He and Swan maintain an 8-6 doubles mark, including a 8-5 record at the second flight.  The duo is currently ranked ninth in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's (ITA) Division II Midwest Regional Doubles Rankings.

Overall, Hermes holds career marks of 23-15 (singles) and 24-15 (doubles) in his two seasons with the Bulldogs to date.

Hermes claimed honorable mention All-GLIAC recognition as a freshman in 2008-09. The 6-0 standout compiled a 17-8 overall mark in singles matches and was 17-9 in doubles in his initial Bulldog season. He posted a team-high tying 6-1 record in league singles play while splitting time between the numbers five and six positions in the lineup a year ago. Hermes also won eight of his last nine singles encounters last campaign.

The Ferris men’s tennis team presently holds a 8-5 overall record and has won five consecutive matches to date. FSU’s five losses this season have come against either NCAA Division I competition or higher nationally-ranked Division II teams.

FSU swept two conference matches in Ohio this past weekend as the Bulldogs posted a decisive 9-0 triumph at Tiffin before beating Findlay 7-2 on Saturday.  FSU was also a 9-0 winner against Albion last Tuesday.

The Bulldogs are presently listed 44^th in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Division II National Rankings along with fourth in the Midwest Region under head coach Alex Palladino.

Ferris State next returns to the court against league rival Northwood on Thursday, April 8, for a conference home match at the FSU Racquet and Fitness Center in Big Rapids.  First serve is scheduled for 1 p.m. (EDT).