Northwestern University Athletics
Shropshire Garners Big Ten Athlete of the Week Award
3/10/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Mar. 10, 2015
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Sophomore Sam Shropshire is this week's Big Ten Athlete of the Week after posting three singles victories and a doubles win last weekend. Shropshire was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and a First-Team All-Big Ten selection in 2014, but this is his first weekly accolade of his career.
Three Northwestern players have now earned the honor this spring. The two previous Wildcat winners were Strong Kirchheimer and Logan Staggs.
Northwestern extended its win streak to five with three team victories last weekend: No. 27 Indiana (4-3), Purdue (7-0), and Western Illinois (7-0). Currently 11-5 on the season and 2-1 in conference play, NU climbed the ITA rankings this week to No. 16, a season high.
Shropshire has echoed the team's accomplishments with a five-match win streak of his own, and notched a 3-0 record in singles this past weekend. Previously ranked No. 93, he rose five spots this week to No. 88.
Playing at No. 1, Shropshire beat Sam Monette of Indiana 6-4, 7-5 on Friday. He followed this on Sunday with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Purdue's Diego Acosta, and a 6-1, 6-0 triumph over Western Illinois's Chris Bunch.
In doubles at No. 2, Shropshire and partner Alex Pasareanu defeated Renan Hanayama and Arthur Dobradin of Purdue 8-2.
Shropshire boasts an 11-5 dual season singles record this spring. He is also 7-7 in dual match doubles overall, and 6-4 with Pasareanu.
Northwestern hosts just one match in Evanston next weekend: Columbia at noon on Saturday.
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