NORFOLK, Va., April 6, 2022—North Carolina Central senior Miles Clark was named Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Men’s Tennis Player of the Week, presented by Coca-Cola, the conference office announced today, while Morgan State’s Niles Rachal was named Rookie of the Week. Howard freshman Sifa Butcher was named Women’s Tennis Player of the Week and Rookie of the Week.
 
Clark (Sr., Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) defeated Norfolk State’s Federico Rebecchini 6-3, 4-6, 1-0 (10-8) in the No. 1 singles spot for his team-leading seventh singles win of the season, while also teaming with Amit Baran for a 6-4 win at No. 1 doubles.
 
Rachal (Fr., Woodstock, Ga.) won the clinching singles match against Howard, defeating Daniel Dunac at the No. 4 position 6-3, 7-6 to help the Bears pick up the team win. He also paired with Rhajzon Rankins for a 7-6 (3) win in doubles play.
 
Butcher (Fr., Pembroke Pines, Fla.) was a perfect 4-0 this past week, winning both singles and both doubles matches. She won both doubles matches, against Coppin State (6-1) and Morgan State (6-1), alongside Jordan Grayson, and she won both her singles matches from the No. 2 spot. She defeated Coppin State’s Kristina Georgieva 6-1, 6-2 and Morgan State’s Hannah Smith 6-3, 2-6, 6-1.
 
Other Top Performers
Iva Jankovic (Coppin State) won 7-5, 6-2 at the No. 1 spot over Howard’s Jordan Grayson.
 
Luka Markovic (Coppin State) defeated Howard’s Marcel Dawson 4-6, 7-5, 10-4.
 
Tory Bailey (Howard) picked up singles wins over Coppin State and Morgan State, while also going 1-1 in doubles competition.
 
Sebastian Lopez (Morgan State) notched a singles win, rallying to defeat Kyle Martin 6-7, 6-3, 10-5, while also winning his doubles match against Howard.
 
Averiana Mitchell (Morgan State) won 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 over Nadia Pegram of Howard in the No. 3 singles spot.
 
Breanna Cook (Norfolk State) handed South Carolina State’s Nalanda Silva in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2 at No. 4 singles.
 
Isabelle Exsted (North Carolina Central) defeated Norfolk State’s Breanna Cook 6-2, 6-1, while also winning 6-0 alongside Maria Picazo in doubles play.
 
Maria Picazo (North Carolina Central) notched a 6-1, 6-1 win over Norfolk State’s Andrea Barcenas.
 
Oliver Saarinen (North Carolina Central) defeated Norfolk State’s Roosevelt Brown 6-1, 6-0 at No. 4 singles.
 
Rachida Berjane (South Carolina State) defeated Norfolk State’s Aleksandra Evdokimova 7-6 (8-6), 1-6, 1-0 (10-7) at No. 1 singles, while also notching a 6-4 win at No. 3 doubles.
 
Rostislav Haflinger (South Carolina State) won 6-2, 6-3 over Norfolk Staet’s Federico Rebecchini at the No. 1 singles spot, while also winning 6-0 at No. 2 doubles.