Searle, Knupfer Named to C-USA First Team
4/28/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
April 28, 2006
HOUSTON -- Rice senior Robert Searle and sophomore Ralph Knupfer were named to the Conference USA all-league first team as the Owls garnered five post-season awards, the league office announced Friday.
Searle currently ranks 28th nationally after posting a 16-6 dual-match record at number-one singles this spring. Overall he is 27-11 and has recorded 101 singles victories in his four-year career, none more thrilling than his come-from-behind triumph against then seventh-ranked Travis Helgeson of Texas for win number 100.
Knupfer is 14-6 in duals this season, playing primarily at the three position. His efforts have him ranked 78th nationally. Knupfer leads the Owls in overall victories with his stellar 29-9 record.
Joining Searle and Knupfer, senior Tony Haerle and junior Ben Harknett were both named to the all-conference second team. Haerle has posted a 17-5 mark in duals, playing at the two, three and four positions. Harknett, who was ranked earlier this month, went 9-7 in duals at the number-two position.
Haerle and Searle were also twice recognized for their doubles play. Ranked 18th nationally, they earned all-conference doubles honors with their 13-5 ledger at the top of the lineup. The pair was also selected by the league coaches as the outstanding doubles team of the championship. The Owl tandem went 2-0 during the tournament, defeating UAB's Mavrin and Spangenberg 8-4 on April 22, then downing Tulsa's Bruges & Charpantidis 8-4 in the championship match on April 23.
Currently ranked 30th in the nation, Rice will look for an at-large bid in the 2006 NCAA championships. The Owls fate will be determined on May 3 when the brackets are announced on ESPNews beginning at 7:30 pm.
All-Conference First Team
Robert Searle, Rice
Ralph Knupfer, Rice
Alex Skrypko, SMU
Peter Oredsson, SMU
Federico Soriano, Tulsa
Arnau Brugues, Tulsa
All-Conference Second Team
Ricardo Soriano, Tulsa
Ben Harknett, Rice
Tony Haerle, Rice
Sebstian Falk, UAB
Sinan Sudas, UCF
James Spence, Memphis
All-Conference Doubles Team
Robert Searle & Tony Haerle, Rice
James Spence & Sam Withell, Memphis
Arnau Brugues & Aleksander Charpantidis, Tulsa
Coach of the Year: Vince Westbrook, Tulsa
Player of the Year: Arnau Brugues, Tulsa
Freshman of the Year: Brock Sakey, UCF
Outstanding Singles Player of the Championship
Federico Soriano, Tulsa
Outstanding Doubles Team of the Championship
Robert Searle & Tony Haerle, Rice
Players Mentioned
