Baumgartner Nets NWC Student-Athlete of the Week Honor

Baumgartner Nets NWC Student-Athlete of the Week Honor

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, ORE. -- Michael Baumgartner (Albany, OR/West Albany HS), a sophomore on the Willamette University men's tennis team, has been chosen Co-Northwest Conference Men's Tennis Student-Athlete of the Week for his efforts in matches played March 21-27. He shared the weekly honor with Taylor Dickey from Pacific Lutheran University.

Baumgartner competed in all five of Willamette's matches during the week, including match-ups with 15th-ranked Bowdoin College (Maine) and 14th-ranked Trinity College (Conn.). He achieved a record of 2-3 in singles and 2-3 in doubles.

His top singles win of the week was earned against Salisbury University (Md.) player Andrew Nottage, 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, on March 21 in Claremont, Calif. Baumgartner, ranked #26 in the West Region of NCAA Division III, is 8-5 in singles this spring.

As a team, the Bearcats lost to Salisbury by a slim margin of 5-4 and also dropped matches to Bowdoin, 9-0, and Trinity, 5-0. Willamette defeated George Fox University, 8-1, and downed Lewis & Clark College, 8-1.

The Bearcats, currently 8-5 overall and 7-1 in the NWC, will return to action on Friday, April 1, by hosting Pacific University. Match time is set for 4 p.m. (PDT) at the WU Tennis Courts in Salem, Ore. Willamette is listed at #11 in the NCAA Division III West Region team rankings.

Michael Baumgartner is 8-5 in singles this spring, including 6-2 against NWC opponents.