Lobo and Wayenburg Receive All-SoCon Honors

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference announced Thursday afternoon that Mercer's Lucas Wayenburg was named a second team all-conference singles player, while Hugo Lobo and Wayenburg received second team all-conference doubles honors.

Wayenburg won nine matches across the first two flights, including six matches at No. 2 singles. His first win of the season was a 6-4, 6-4 win over Chris Andre of Alabama State on Feb. 3. His best streak of play came in Mercer's final five matches as he won four-of-five contests with three of the four victories coming in straight sets. In his three two-set wins, Wayenburg outscored opponents, 36-8 as he topped Furman's Jake Bhangdia (6-2, 6-4) and The Citadel's Hayden Shoemake (6-0, 6-0) and Will Graham (6-0, 6-2). His lone three-set win in the strength came against Chattanooga's Turner Voges. After dropping the first set, 6-1, Wayenburg battled back to win the remaining two sets, 6-3 and 6-4.

In doubles play, Lobo and Wayenburg won nine matches, including eight contests in the top flight. The pair won their first match of the 2021 season on Feb. 3 at Alabama State, earning a 6-2 win over Alejo Calvis and Luka Markovic. The duo won two-of-three matches to end February, picking up wins over Georgia College (Feb. 20) and Stetson (Feb. 28). Five of Lobo and Wayenburg's nine victories came in March, and in April the pair picked up a crucial win in SoCon play over The Citadel's Will Graham and Hayden Shoemake, 6-2.

The Bears finished the regular season 11-13 overall and 4-3 in Southern Conference action. The Orange & Black will take on top-seeded ETSU on Friday at 11 a.m. ET in the semifinals of the conference tournament. The winner will advance to the championship and battle the win of No. 2 Samford vs. No. 3 Furman.

2021 SoCon Men's Tennis Postseason Awards
First Team
Singles
Dimitri Badra, ETSU
Frazier Rengifo, ETSU
Ivan Mitric, Furman
Rossouw Norval, Samford
Tomas Rodriguez, Chattanooga
Omar Williams, Wofford

Doubles
Jake Bhangdia/Henrik Atlevi, Furman
Victor Chaw/Jim Hendrikx, Samford
Tomas Rodriguez/Peyton Gatti, Chattanooga

Second Team
Singles
Juan Lugo, ETSU
Henrik Atlevi, Furman
Jake Bhangdia, Furman
Lucas Wayenburg, Mercer
Victor Chaw, Samford
Eladio Fabregas, Samford

Doubles
Miguel Este/Dimitri Badra, ETSU
Hugo Lobo/Lucas Wayenburg, Mercer
Omar Williams/Bryce Keim, Wofford

All-Freshman
Dimitri Badra, ETSU
Thiago Pernas, ETSU
Juan Sebastian Zabala, ETSU
Emil Westling, Furman
Jim Hendrikx, Samford
Jeffrey Dewald, Chattanooga
Ashe Ray, Wofford
*features seven players due to a tie in the voting

Player of the Year
Dimitri Badra, ETSU

Freshman of the Year
Dimitri Badra, ETSU

Don Bunch/Buddy Hartsell Sportsmanship Award
Turner Voges, Chattanooga

Coach of the Year
Rahim Esmail, Samford

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Players Mentioned

Hugo Lobo

Lucas Wayenburg

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