Payman becomes Wheaton's first men's tennis player of the year, seven Lyons highlight NEWMAC All-Conference selections

May 1, 2007

WORCESTER, MA- Senior Payum Payman (Pleasant Valley, NY/Arlington) became the first Wheaton College men's tennis player in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference's (NEWMAC) nine-year history to be named league player of the year, and was one of seven different Lyons to earn all-conference awards at Tuesday's postseason meeting at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI).

Payman, seniors Brian Danishevsky (Hamden, CT/Hamden Hall Country Day School), Brad Dressler (Cranston, RI/Cranston West), Raymour Radhakrishnan (Amherst, NH/Bridgton Academy) and Will Stoddard (Huntington, VT/Mount Mansfield Union), and freshmen Kyle Hudgins (Uxbridge, MA/Uxbridge) and James Little (Mount Desert, ME/Mount Desert Island) comprised Wheaton's all-conference selections.

Payman and Hudgins were named to the first team at first and sixth singles, respectively, for the first time in their careers, while Little and Stoddard picked up first-team honors in the third doubles position. Voted to the second team were Dressler and Payman in the top doubles spot, Danishevsky and Radhakrishnan at number two, and Danishevsky, Dressler and Stoddard in the second through fourth singles slots, respectively. This year marked the fifth straight the Lyons have placed at least five players on the all-conference teams.

Payman, who is awaiting word on whether he'll compete at his first NCAA Championship, is arguably the top Wheaton player to ever grace the school's tennis courts. Named NEWMAC Rookie of the Year as a freshman and selected to an all-conference team every year since, Payman is approaching 120 career victories. He went 5-0 in the NEWMAC this spring, including twice defeating the nation's 12th-ranked player from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Boasting a 19-5 record overall, Payman has won his last 11 matches.

Hudgins turned in a very strong first-year campaign in which he won all five conference matches and 10 of 14 decisions overall. Going 7-2 in his last nine matches with a 9-4 record from his sixth position, Hudgins used third-set super tiebreakers to defeat players from regionally-ranked Brandeis University and MIT.

Danishevsky made it four-for-four for all-conference team honors during his singles career, posting a 14-7 overall record and 4-1 mark in NEWMAC play. Falling only to MIT, Danishevsky won six of his last nine matches. He finished just two wins shy of 100 for his career.

In garnering his third all-conference singles award, Dressler had an outstanding spring, going a perfect 15-0. Combined with tournament play from the fall, he went 17-2 overall. With 90 career victories, Dressler needed three sets to defeat opponents from Brandeis, MIT and regionally-ranked Skidmore College.

Earning the first all-league accolade since his freshman season, Stoddard posted an 8-7 overall record, including a 3-1 mark against conference competition. He won six of his last nine matches.

In doubles, Little and Stoddard went 7-5 at number three and 2-1 against league competition. They were victorious in six of their last eight matches, defeating MIT and Springfield College in the tournament. Dressler and Payman recorded a 9-6 mark as first-time doubles partners in the top spot. Danishevsky and Radhakrishnan combined for a 9-5 record at number two, going 3-1 in the NEWMAC while winning nine of their last 10 matches.

Wheaton was the regular season and tournament runner up to MIT for the third straight season at 11-5 overall and 4-1 in the league. They are ranked 12th regionally by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA).

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