DUDLEY, Mass. – First-year Eduardo Irizarry (Lajas, Puerto Rico) took home Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Men's Tennis Player of the Week and Rookie of the Week accolades for his outstanding performance the week ending Sunday, March 24, 2013.
 
Irizarry was one of three Bison student-athletes to compete at both singles and doubles in all five matches as he went undefeated and made his solo debut at No. 1 and No. 2 flight. On Monday, the rookie went 2-0 at the first doubles flight and 2-0 at the third singles flight to help the Bison bounce back from a 5-2 defeat to Division I Connecticut and blank UMass-Boston 9-0 in the nightcap as Irizarry won 6-2, 6-3 in his first appearance at the second singles flight against the Beacons.
 
After an off day due to weather, Nichols defeated Hobart, the 14th-ranked team in the region, 7-2 courtesy of a key win by Irizarry and sophomore Brandon Roode (Griswold, Conn.) as the tandem topped the region's 10th-ranked doubles team of sophomore Michael Fields (Minnetonka, Minn.) and senior Bruce Grant (Syosset, N.Y.), 8-2. Irizarry earned the final point of the match with a 6-3, 7-6 (7-2) triumph in singles action.
 
On Thursday, Irizarry teamed up with graduate student David Drucker (Bellmore, N.Y.) for the first time as the duo posted an 8-2 doubles win. Irizarry followed up with a 6-0, 6-2 triumph in his first appearance at the top singles flight to help Nichols down North Central (Ill.) 7-2. Irizarry and Roode teamed up once again for another doubles win on Friday to go along with the rookie's 6-1, 6-1 performance in singles as the Bison blanked Lawrence, 9-0.
 
“Eduardo had a tremendous week in Florida,” commented head coach Paul Brower. “His doubles play was tremendous in the match against UConn and throughout the week. Furthermore, his singles game has really started clicking as he gets more matches under his belt. He is a tremendous athlete and he is going to play a key role as we enter our conference season.”
 
Nichols (8-3) is scheduled to open its 2013 CCC slate on Thursday with a trip to Western New England for a 3:30 p.m. match.