April 28, 2022
The East Central Community College men's tennis team has picked numerous national nods over the last week as two players qualified for the NJCAA DI Men's Tennis Championship and ECCC's Orren Ladner was named ITA x Universal Tennis Player of the Week in the men's JUCO division.
ECCC freshmen, Dominik Simunovic and Joseph Fletcher, both earned national bids for their efforts throughout the season as the Warriors' No. 1 doubles team. The duo finished the year second in the MACCC with an 11-6 overall record. The top-two finish will send the players to the tournament held at the JoAnn Medlock Murphy Tennis Center in Tyler, Texas. Simunovic also got the nod on the singles court as the No. 1 player finished the year 13-5 which again is second-best in the MACCC.
The Warrior team fell in the first round of the NJCAA Region Tournament, hosted by Jones College, but the team still has an opportunity to earn an at-large bid to nationals.
Along with the bids, ECCC's Ladner was named ITA x Universal Tennis Player of the Week for his efforts over the final week of the regular season, the second Warrior to receive the national honor this year. Ladner moved to the Warriors' No. 2 singles line due to an injury and earned wins over two top-20 programs in Coastal Alabama and Marion Military which helped the freshman get the nod.
"Orren is very deserving of this honor as steeped into Joseph's position and got some big victories for us," said ECCC head coach Jay Pacelli. "It is terrific for our program that we're able to have two players earn such prestigious honors this year."
The ITA x Universal Tennis Player of the Week awards are given out to 10 student-athletes – five men and five women – to celebrate their success from the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.
