SPARTANBURG, S.C. ? Elon senior Damon Gooch has been named Southern Conference Men’s Tennis Player of the Week for all matches from April 13-19, the conference office announced Tuesday. Gooch went 2-0 in both singles and doubles competition last week. It is the second time this season the Gauteng, South Africa native has won the award.  The Phoenix closed out the regular season with wins over UNC Greensboro (6-1) and The Citadel (7-0) last week.  The Player of the Week award is voted on by the league’s sports information directors.

Gooch, ranked No. 76 in the latest ITA Rankings, posted two wins at No. 1 singles for the Phoenix last week.  He topped UNCG’s Orcun Seyrek in three sets before claiming a 6-3, 6-2 win over The Citadel’s Yufo Sutantio.  Gooch closed the regular season with a mark of 16-8 overall and 8-2 in league play.

The team of Gooch and Philip Nemec put their No. 34 doubles ranking on the line last week and came away with wins over UNCG’s Seyrek and Arsel Kumdereli (8-7) and Sutantio and Martin King of the The Citadel, 8-1.  Gooch and Nemec have won each of their last four doubles matches together.

The Phoenix play host to this week’s Southern Conference Men’s Tennis Championships.  Elon, the No. 2 seed, will take on either Appalachian State or The Citadel Friday morning at the Burlington Tennis Center.

Also nominated for this week’s award was The Citadel’s Alberto Diaz, Furman’s Sawyer Duncan, Georgia Southern’s Jayraj Jadeja and UNC Greensboro’s Andrey Bubnov.

SoCon Men’s Tennis Player of the Week

Feb. 10 ? Damon Gooch, Elon

Feb. 17 ? Bobby Lake, Appalachian State

Feb. 24 ? Andy Juc, Furman

March 3 ? Richard Walsh, Samford

March 11 ? Bo Ladyman, Furman

March 17 ? Alberto Diaz, The Citadel

March 24 ? Andy Juc, Furman

March 31 ? Orcun Seyrek, UNC Greensboro

April 8 ? Mickael Trintignac, College of Charleston

April 14 ? Orcun Seyrek, UNC Greensboro
April 21 ? Damon Gooch, Elon