Five Polar Bears named All-OAC in Men's Tennis; Frank named OAC Player of the Year

By: Tim Glon

ADA — Five Ohio Northern players were named All-Ohio Athletic Conference in men's tennis for the 2011 season in voting conducted by the conference's 10 head coaches.

Sophomore Joey Frank (Columbus/Columbus Academy) was named Ohio Athletic Conference Men's Tennis Player of the Year and was joined by junior Michael Kathary (Columbus/Dublin Scioto) and freshman Do Thai (Columbus/Bishop Ready) as the First Team honorees.

Junior Nick Kowalczyk (Columbus/Worthing Kilbourne) was named Second Team All-OAC and senior Jeff Carter (Wilmington) was named Honorable Mention All-Conference.

Head coach Bob Rohan was also named OAC Coach of the Year for second consecutive season.

Frank was named First Team All-OAC for the second straight year. He posted a 37-16 record on the season including a 8-1 record in OAC regular season play at No. 1 singles and 8-0 record in OAC regular season matches at No. 1 doubles.

In two seasons at ONU, Frank is 36-13 in singles, is 41-15 in doubles and is 77-28 overall.

Kathary and Thai are were both named First Team All-OAC for the first time.

Kathary set the single season singles wins record with 26 victories on the season as well as overall wins with 48 in his first year as a Polar Bear.

Thai was a perfect 9-0 at No. 3 singles and 8-0 No. 2 doubles in OAC action. He ends the season second in all-time singles wins in a season (24) and overall wins (45).

Kowalczyk earned his third All-OAC accolade. He posted a 8-1 record at No. 4 singles in OAC action and also was 8-0 at No. 1 doubles in the conference.

In his three seasons as a Polar Bear, Kowalczyk is 52-23 in singles play, is 58-25 in doubles and is 110-48 overall.

His 110 career victories ties him for 11th all-time at ONU.

Carter earned his third All-OAC selection. At No. 3 doubles, Carter was 21-4 on the season including a perfect 9-0 mark in OAC play and was 16-6 in singles.

He ends his career with a record of 125-46 which puts him fourth all-time on Ohio Northern's wins list.

Rohan earned his second straight Coach of the Year honor. In four seasons as head coach, the Polar Bears are 63-17.

Ohio Northern won the OAC Regular Season and Tournament championships for the second consecutive season and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III Men's Tennis Tournament in back to back seasons.