COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Mountain West announced the 2022 Men’s Tennis All-Conference awards on Friday, as voted on by the league’s seven head coaches. 
 
UNLV senior Christopher Bulus is the Mountain West Men’s Tennis Player of the Year after recording a 20-6 overall singles record and collecting a 3-1 doubles record in MW play. A Lagos, Nigeria, native Bulus, is a three-time MW Player of the Week honoree. Doubles pair Bulus and Zach Garner went an overall 12-4 at No. 1 doubles and 3-2 in Conference play.
 
This is the first time since Alexandr Cozbinov in 2018 that a UNLV student-athlete earned Player of the Year recognition.
 
Boise’s State Pedro Liborio and New Mexico’s Arda Azkara are the MW Men’s Tennis Co-Freshmen of the Year
 
Liborio, an All-Conference singles selection, collected five MW Freshman of the Week awards, which is the most by any freshman in the league. Liborio is the first Bronco to win MW Men’s Tennis Freshman of the Year recognition since Kyle Butters in 2016. The Caldas Da Rainha, Portugal, native earned nine No. 1 singles wins.
 
Azkara finished the year 13-9 overall in singles and 8-5 in MW competition. Azkara is the only Mountain West freshman to earn both Player and Freshman of the Week this season. Azkara claimed MW Player and Freshman of the Week honors on Feb. 16, after a 3-0 record on the week in singles and doubles, leading New Mexico to wins over Santa Clara and Grand Canyon.
 
This is the second-consecutive year a New Mexico student-athlete has earned “of the year” recognition. Azkara also earned singles and doubles All-Conference recognition with partner Nicolas Prieto.
 
MW Men’s Tennis Championship action gets underway on Friday, April 29, at 10 a.m. MT with three first-round contests. No. 2 Utah State will take on No. 7 UNLV, while No. 3 New Mexico will face No. 6 Boise State. No. 4 San Diego State and No. 5 Air Force will round out the first day of competition with a 2 p.m. MT first serve.
 
MEN’S TENNIS ALL-CONFERENCE SINGLES:
Robert Baylon, Sr., Air Force
Jonny Mascagni, Jr., Air Force
Pedro Liborio, Fr., Boise State
Simon Arca Costas, Sr., Boise State
Matheo Coupu, So., Nevada
Juan Batalla, So., Nevada
Arda Azkara, Fr., New Mexico
Joe Tyler, Sr., San Diego State
Johannes Seeman, So., San Diego State
Christopher Bulus, Sr., UNLV
Bodin Zarovic, Jr., Utah State
David Cierny, Jr., Utah State
 
MEN’S TENNIS ALL-CONFERENCE DOUBLES:
Robert Baylon/Jordan Azuma, Air Force
Simon Arca Costas/Caden Moortgat, Boise State
Satchel Benn/Loris Zisswiller, Nevada
Arda Azkara/ Nicolas Prieto, New Mexico
Joe Tyler/Victor Castro, San Diego State
David Cierny/Bodin Zarkovic, Utah State
 
PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
Christopher Bulus, Sr., UNLV
 
Co-FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR:
Pedro Liborio, Boise State
Arda Azkara, New Mexico