Five Flames Included on CUSA Postseason Honors and Awards
5/1/2024 2:02:00 PM | Men's Tennis
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Five Flames gained recognition in the 2024 Conference USA Men's Tennis Postseason Honors and Awards. Liberty finished with the second-most awards in the league trailed behind just Middle Tennessee for the most CUSA postseason honors.
Deji Thomas-Smith received the honor as the CUSA Outstanding Singles Player of the Championship with a 2-0 performance. Luis Felipe Miguel was honored on the CUSA All-Conference singles first team. Three Flames, Thomas-Smith, Rafael Marques Da Silva and Chase Robinson, were honored on the CUSA All-Conference singles second team. Marques Da Silva and Thando Longwe-Smit were also named to the CUSA All-Conference doubles first team.
Liberty (17-8) had concluded its season as runner-up in the 2024 Conference USA Men's Tennis Championship, falling 4-2 to No. 1 seed and No. 34 Middle Tennessee on April 21. However, Liberty has been invited and plans to defend its title at the UTR Sports National Invitational Tournament from this upcoming Sunday through next Wednesday in Bradenton, Fla.
Robinson receives his second conference award of the season after garnering inclusion on the 2024 CUSA All-Academic team. Longwe-Smit receives his first-ever all-conference award.
Thomas-Smith was recognized with two awards on Wednesday with the honor of Outstanding Singles Player of the Championship and the CUSA All-Conference singles first team. The senior receives his second and third conference awards of the season after receiving a selection to the CUSA All-Academic team. It is Thomas-Smith's sixth overall postseason conference recognition.
Miguel garners his third postseason award in two seasons after the sophomore received spots on the Atlantic Sun All-Conference third team and ASUN All-Freshman team in 2023.
Marques Da Silva also received two recognitions with honors on the CUSA All-Conference singles second team and the CUSA All-Conference doubles first team with partner Longwe-Smit. The senior receives his eighth and ninth conference postseason awards.
The Flames will face North Alabama (16-8) in the opening round of the 2024 UTR Sports NIT Championship, set to kick off from the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. on Sunday.
Deji Thomas-Smith, Senior, CUSA Singles Player of the Championship, Singles Second Team
Luis Felipe Miguel, Sophomore, CUSA Singles First Team
Rafael Marques Da Silva, Senior, CUSA Singles Second Team, Doubles First Team
Chase Robinson, Redshirt Freshman, CUSA Singles Second Team
Thando Longwe-Smit, Senior, CUSA Doubles First Team
Player of the Year: Leo Raquin, Middle Tennessee
Freshman of the Year: Jakub Kroslak, Middle Tennessee
Newcomer of the Year: Tobias Wallin, New Mexico State
Coach of the Year: Jimmy Borendame, Middle Tennessee
Outstanding Singles Player of the Championship: Deji Thomas-Smith, Liberty
Outstanding Doubles Team of the Championship: Jakub Kroslak/Shu Matsuoka, Middle Tennessee
All-Conference Singles First Team:
Luis Felipe Miguel, Liberty
Ivan Marrero Curbelo, Jacksonville State
Marcel Kamrowski, Middle Tennessee
Jakub Kroslak, Middle Tennessee
Leo Raquin, Middle Tennessee
Demis Taramonlis, Middle Tennessee
All-Conference Singles Second Team:
Deji Thomas-Smith, Liberty
Rafael Marques Da Silva, Liberty
Chase Robinson, Liberty
Vanja Dobrnjac, Jacksonville State
Xavier Sarda Marti, Jacksonville State
Ondrej Horak, Middle Tennessee
Tobias Wallin, New Mexico State
*NOTE – Due to a tie in the voting, there are SEVEN student-athletes named to the singles second team.
All-Conference Doubles First Team:
Rafael Marques Da Silva/Thando Longwe-Smit, Liberty
Ondrej Horak/Leo Raquin, Middle Tennessee
Javier Cueto Ramos/Marcel Kamrowski, Middle Tennessee
All-Conference Doubles Second Team:
Ivan Marrero Curbelo/Xavier Sarda Marti, Jax State
Marko Milosavljevic/Zach Murphy, Jax State
Jakub Kroslak/Shu Matsuoka, Middle Tennessee
Deji Thomas-Smith received the honor as the CUSA Outstanding Singles Player of the Championship with a 2-0 performance. Luis Felipe Miguel was honored on the CUSA All-Conference singles first team. Three Flames, Thomas-Smith, Rafael Marques Da Silva and Chase Robinson, were honored on the CUSA All-Conference singles second team. Marques Da Silva and Thando Longwe-Smit were also named to the CUSA All-Conference doubles first team.
Liberty (17-8) had concluded its season as runner-up in the 2024 Conference USA Men's Tennis Championship, falling 4-2 to No. 1 seed and No. 34 Middle Tennessee on April 21. However, Liberty has been invited and plans to defend its title at the UTR Sports National Invitational Tournament from this upcoming Sunday through next Wednesday in Bradenton, Fla.
Robinson receives his second conference award of the season after garnering inclusion on the 2024 CUSA All-Academic team. Longwe-Smit receives his first-ever all-conference award.
Thomas-Smith was recognized with two awards on Wednesday with the honor of Outstanding Singles Player of the Championship and the CUSA All-Conference singles first team. The senior receives his second and third conference awards of the season after receiving a selection to the CUSA All-Academic team. It is Thomas-Smith's sixth overall postseason conference recognition.
Miguel garners his third postseason award in two seasons after the sophomore received spots on the Atlantic Sun All-Conference third team and ASUN All-Freshman team in 2023.
Marques Da Silva also received two recognitions with honors on the CUSA All-Conference singles second team and the CUSA All-Conference doubles first team with partner Longwe-Smit. The senior receives his eighth and ninth conference postseason awards.
The Flames will face North Alabama (16-8) in the opening round of the 2024 UTR Sports NIT Championship, set to kick off from the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. on Sunday.
Deji Thomas-Smith, Senior, CUSA Singles Player of the Championship, Singles Second Team
- Collected a 2-0 singles record at the 2024 CUSA Championship with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Jax State and a 6-3, 6-4 triumph in the final against Middle Tennessee
- Awarded with a nod to the CUSA All-Conference singles second team after leading the Flames with a 17-5 singles record. Played primarily in the No. 3 singles position, with a 13-4 record in the slot
- Ranks third in program history with 86 career singles victories
- Received two CUSA Men's Tennis Athlete of the Week honors, gaining the recognitions on Feb. 21 and April 3
- Held an 11-match singles winning streak from Feb. 16-March 29
- Named to the 2024 CUSA All-Academic team
- In 2021, he was named to the ASUN All-Conference first team, ASUN All-Tournament team and the ASUN All-Freshman team
Luis Felipe Miguel, Sophomore, CUSA Singles First Team
- Second on the Flames with a 15-8 singles record, playing primarily in the No. 2 slot with a 12-6 record
- Including the fall season, led the Flames with a collective a 23-13 singles mark.
- Won two singles matches in the No. 1 singles position
- Named to the 2023 ASUN All-Conference singles third team and the ASUN All-Freshman team
Rafael Marques Da Silva, Senior, CUSA Singles Second Team, Doubles First Team
- Has played every singles match in the No. 1 slot, collecting an 11-9 record
- Owned a 9-7 doubles (16-10 including the fall season) record in 2024 with partner Longwe-Smit between the No. 1 and 2 doubles slots. The pair went 2-0 at the CUSA Men's Tennis Championship
- Ranks third in program history with 83 career singles wins
- Ranks sixth in program history with 67 career doubles victories
- Awarded as the CUSA Men's Tennis Athlete of the Week in back-to-back weeks (March 20, March 27)
- Has held two national rankings in singles this season, No. 111 on March 5 and No. 102 on April 2
- Owns a 2-4 record against ranked opponents. Has bested Boise State's No. 43 Sam Sippell 6-4, 7-6 (6) and South Florida's No. 48 Alvin Tudorica 7-5, 7-5
- Was awarded the ASUN Men's Tennis Championship MVP and All-Tournament team in 2021
- Three-time ASUN All-Conference selection, two-time first team selection (2021, 2023), second team in 2022 and selected to the ASUN All-Freshman team in 2021
- Named the ASUN Doubles Pair of the Year and to the VaSID All-State doubles second team in 2022 with partner Nicaise Muamba
Chase Robinson, Redshirt Freshman, CUSA Singles Second Team
- Has made every appearance in the No. 6 singles position, owning a 13-3 record
- Went 2-0 in singles at the 2024 CUSA Championship.
- Held a seven-match singles winning streak from Feb. 23-April 7
- Named to the 2024 CUSA All-Academic team
Thando Longwe-Smit, Senior, CUSA Doubles First Team
- Owned a 9-7 doubles (16-10 including the fall season) record in 2024 with partner Longwe-Smit between the No. 1 and 2 doubles slots. The pair went 2-0 at the CUSA Men's Tennis Championship
- Named the CUSA Athlete of the Month for October 2023
- Played all but three doubles matches with partner Marques Da Silva
Player of the Year: Leo Raquin, Middle Tennessee
Freshman of the Year: Jakub Kroslak, Middle Tennessee
Newcomer of the Year: Tobias Wallin, New Mexico State
Coach of the Year: Jimmy Borendame, Middle Tennessee
Outstanding Singles Player of the Championship: Deji Thomas-Smith, Liberty
Outstanding Doubles Team of the Championship: Jakub Kroslak/Shu Matsuoka, Middle Tennessee
All-Conference Singles First Team:
Luis Felipe Miguel, Liberty
Ivan Marrero Curbelo, Jacksonville State
Marcel Kamrowski, Middle Tennessee
Jakub Kroslak, Middle Tennessee
Leo Raquin, Middle Tennessee
Demis Taramonlis, Middle Tennessee
All-Conference Singles Second Team:
Deji Thomas-Smith, Liberty
Rafael Marques Da Silva, Liberty
Chase Robinson, Liberty
Vanja Dobrnjac, Jacksonville State
Xavier Sarda Marti, Jacksonville State
Ondrej Horak, Middle Tennessee
Tobias Wallin, New Mexico State
*NOTE – Due to a tie in the voting, there are SEVEN student-athletes named to the singles second team.
All-Conference Doubles First Team:
Rafael Marques Da Silva/Thando Longwe-Smit, Liberty
Ondrej Horak/Leo Raquin, Middle Tennessee
Javier Cueto Ramos/Marcel Kamrowski, Middle Tennessee
All-Conference Doubles Second Team:
Ivan Marrero Curbelo/Xavier Sarda Marti, Jax State
Marko Milosavljevic/Zach Murphy, Jax State
Jakub Kroslak/Shu Matsuoka, Middle Tennessee
Players Mentioned
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