EAU CLAIRE – UW-Eau Claire’s Ethan Wurtzel was named the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) men’s tennis singles player athlete of the week for back-to-back weeks, earning the honors April 22 and April 29.

The Menomonie High School graduate won a pair of No. 1 singles matches during the week, finishing with a 2-0 record. He defeated UW-La Crosse’s Tyler Schneider 7-6, 5-7, 6-3 on April 17, clinching a 4-3 dual victory. Wurtzel followed with a victory in straight sets over Rumeal Setts of Hamline University, 7-5, 6-2 on April 19, helping the Blugolds win the dual 7-0.

The senior repeated the honors the next week when Wurtzel went 4-0 at No. 1 singles during the week to help the Blugolds finish their season on a five-dual win streak. He won three of those matches in straight sets, including a tiebreak defeat of the College of St. Scholastica (Minn.)’s Jonas Abeleda 6-2, 7-6 (2) to clinch a 4-3 victory over the Saints on April 24. In his only match of the week that went three sets, Wurtzel defeated UW-Superior’s Igor Guetten Chaves 3-6, 6-2, 1-0 (3).

The award was the third and fourth times this season Wurtzel received the conference honor, but his first as a singles player. Wurtzel teamed with partner Juan Gallego to twice capture doubles team of the week laurels in February. The team has played at the No. 1 doubles spot most of the season.

Wurtzel played predominately at No. 1 singles throughout the entire season. He also played No. 1 doubles. Eau Claire finished the season with a 9-7 overall team record.