SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – North Dakota’s Cian McDonnell and Denver’s Britt Pursell secured this week’s TicketSmarter Summit League Men’s and Women’s Tennis Athlete of the Week awards, league officials released Tuesday. They both finished their weekend’s competition with perfect records.
 
McDonnell went 4-0 on the weekend to help the Fighting Hawks finish with a 1-1 record, including their first league victory of the season over Omaha (6-1). To start the weekend against Bobcats, McDonnell teamed up with Edmond Aynedjian on the No. 2 doubles court to help give UND an early lead with a 6-4 win.
 
After Montana State evened the score 1-1, McDonnell gave UND a 2-1 advantage after taking his third-court match by a score of 6-1, 6-2. Following his early lead, Montana State bounced back and the Fighting Hawks ultimately ended up falling 4-3.
 
In North Dakota’s win over Omaha, McDonnell and Aynedjian again teamed up and were victorious on the No. 2 double courts securing a 6-2 win over the Mavericks.
 
McDonnell capped off his perfect weekend clinching the first singles win of the match after he downed Omaha’s Mikhail Korkunov 6-4, 7-5 on the No. 2 court.
 
Pursell won all four of her matches this weekend in No. 58 Denver’s wins over No. 71 Iowa (4-3) and Omaha (7-0). Against the Hawkeyes, Pursell teamed up with Camille Verden-Anderson to claim a 6-4 win on the No. 1 court in doubles.
 
On the singles court, she was the first to claim a victory for the Pioneers taking her third-court match in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2.
 
In the first league match of the season, she again teamed up with Verden-Anderson and improved to 5-3 in doubles with a 6-1 win on the top court.
 
During her singles match on the No. 2 court, she took an early 6-2 win in the first set and ultimately won by retirement. Pursell is now 6-2 on the year.
 
Cian McDonnell
So | Belfast Northern Ireland

• Earned his second career athlete of the week accolade
• Went 2-0 in singles and 2-0 in doubles over the weekend
• Helped secure North Dakota’s first league victory of the season

 
Also nominated: Nam Pam, Illinois State; Markus Bolin, Drake
 
Britt Pursell, Denver
Jr | Oceanside, Calif.

• Earned her fourth career athlete of the week honor and first this season
• Went 2-0 in singles and 2-0 in doubles against No. 71 Iowa and Omaha
• Now owns a 5-3 doubles record and 6-2 singles record on the season

 
Also nominated: Michela Xibilia, Kansas City
 
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
 
February 15
M: Todd Chen, Omaha
W: Oleksandra Nahurska, Oral Roberts
 
February 22
M: Mikhail Korkunov, Omaha
W: Sapir Sela, North Dakota
 
March 1
M: Cian McDonnell, North Dakota
W: Britt Pursell, Denver