SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Denver’s Nicholas Herrero Cuesta and South Dakota’s Habiba Aly took home this week’s TicketSmarter Summit League Men’s and Women’s Tennis Athlete of the Week accolades, league officials announced Tuesday.
 
Herrero Cuesta and the Pioneers finished the weekend undefeated after beating Northern Arizona (5-2) and Nebraska (4-2). Herrero Cuesta earned Denver its first singles point against Northern Arizona with his second-straight win. He took his No. 2 singles match 6-2, 6-1.
 
In the Pioneer’s first victory over a Big Ten program, Herrero Cuesta teamed up with Mattia Ros and clinched the doubles point for the Pios. They took a 6-1 win on the No. 3 court, making their record 2-1 as a team this season.
 
In singles, he was the first Pioneer to pick up a victory taking his match in straight-sets (6-4, 6-1) on the No. 2 court. He now owns a 3-1 singles record this season.
 
Habiba Aly helped the Coyotes finish the week with a 2-1 record after picking up wins over Eastern Washington (5-2) and Montana State (4-1) and dropped a tough 5-2 loss to Gonzaga. To open the week’s competition, Aly picked up a 6-4, 6-4 win at the No. 2 singles court to propel USD to the win over EWU.
 
She used that momentum heading into the match against Gonzaga. She toughed out a 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 win on the No. 2 singles court to give South Dakota one of its two points against Gonzaga. Aly closed out the week’s competition cruising to a 6-3, 6-1 win on the No. 2 singles court in the Coyotes’ victory over Montana State.
 
Nicolas Herrero Cuesta, Denver
So | Segovia, Spain

• Earned his first career athlete of the week accolade
• Finished the weekend 2-0 in singles and 1-1 in doubles
• Helped the Pioneers to their first victory over a Big Ten opponent

 
Habiba Aly, South Dakota
Sr | Cairo, Egypt

• Earned her third career athlete of the week honor
• Went 3-0 in singles over the weekend and improved to 5-2 on the dual season at No. 2 singles
• Currently has 46 career wins, ranking ninth in USD’s career charts

Also nominated: Andrea Burguete Beltran, Denver; Andrea Jansson, North Dakota; Keegan VanPelt, Omaha
 
2022 Tennis Athletes of the Week
January 18
M: Daniel Krulig, Denver
 
January 25
W: Estella Jaeger, South Dakota
 
February 1
M: Edmond Aynedjian, North Dakota
W: Camille Verden-Anderson, Denver
 
February 8
M: Nicholas Herrero Cuesta, Denver
W: Habiba Aly, South Dakota