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Men's tennis team earns MAC's highest honors

April 30, 2009

KALAMAZOO--The Western Michigan University men's tennis team, winners of the 2009 Mid-American Conference Tournament championship and automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament, received two of the conference's highest honors this week. Coach Dave Morin was named MAC Coach of the Year, and senior Kevin Hayward was named MAC Player of the Year.

Morin was selected by his peers after leading WMU to its seventh NCAA Tournament appearance of the past 10 years, all under his guidance. He has seen WMU through three undefeated seasons and 24 consecutive conference wins in the last four seasons, claiming four successive tournament titles along the way. This season, the Broncos won their 21st MAC championship, setting the conference record (1950, 1952, 1954-65, 1981, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2007, 2008 and 2009). Overall, Morin is 223-109 (.672) in 13 seasons leading WMU.

This was Morin's eighth time and fourth in a row receiving Coach of the Year honors. He first won the award in 1994, when he was head tennis coach at Bowling Green State University. He went on to continue his legacy at WMU, claiming the title in 1998, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008.

Hayward named MAC Player of the Year

Kevin Hayward, a senior from Ann Arbor, Mich., was named MAC Player of the Year by league coaches, becoming the fifth Bronco in men's tennis to earn the highest individual honor.

Hayward also became one of a select few to be named First Team All-MAC for three straight seasons. He was undefeated at No. 1 singles in MAC play, and finished 4-1 playing at No. 2 doubles. This season, he won 13 matches at No. 1 singles and was 25-14 overall. In doubles, he tied for the team lead with 28 victories. Hayward will enter next weekend's NCAA Tournament fourth in career singles wins at WMU with 104, and fifth with 191 overall wins.

Three players named to All-MAC First Team

Winner of three back-to-back conference titles, WMU also dominated the All-MAC teams, placing three players on the first team. Joining Hayward were sophomores Michael Calderone from Grass Lake, Mich., and Kazuya Komada from Osaka, Japan. This is only the fourth time in program history that the Broncos have placed three or more players on the first team (2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009).

WMU men's tennis
2009 MAC awards

Player of the Year
Kevin Hayward

Coach of the Year
Dave Morin

First Team All-MAC
Kevin Hayward
Michael Calderone
Kazuya Komada

All-Tournament Team
MVP: Michael Calderone
Kazuya Komada

Visit wmubroncos.com for more information.

Related article
Men's tennis wins fourth consecutive MAC Championship

Media contact: Matt Holmes, (269) 387-3168, matt.holmes@wmich.edu

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