VanderPloeg Earns Second Scholar Athlete Award

KALAMAZOO, Mich. - For the second time this season, senior Ross VanderPloeg of the Western Michigan men's tennis team was named the Mid-American Conference Male Scholar-Athlete of the Week, earning the honor for the week of March 8. It is the second weekly award VanderPloeg has won this week; he was named the MAC Men's Tennis Player of the Week for the week of March 6.

VanderPloeg, a senior who maintains a 3.77 GPA in Interdisciplinary Health Services, had a standout weekend for the Broncos at the H.E.B. Tournament of Champions, hosted by Texas A&M - Corpus Christi, finishing 5-1 overall on the weekend with a perfect 3-0 record in singles play.

VanderPloeg won all three of his matches at No. 2 singles, defeating Lousiana-Lafayette's Jake Wynan 6-4, 6-2 and #30 Brigham Young's Spencer Smith 6-4, 6-4 on Friday afternoon, and DePaul's Mathias Hambach 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 on Saturday. VanderPloeg helped clinch the doubles point for the Broncos in their victory over the Blue Demons, teaming with Aaron Wong to beat Paul John and Adam Reinhart 9-8 (3) in the No. 2 doubles.