Three Bulls Earn All-MAC Recognition, Nickell Named Coach of the Year

BUFFALO, NY – The Mid-American Conference announced its postseason men's tennis awards on Tuesday and the 2025 MAC champion Bulls were well represented as senior Cheng Tang and junior Theodoros Mitsakos were named to the All-MAC First Team and senior Clement Mainguy earned All-MAC Second Team recognition. Additionally, Lee Nickell was named Coach of the Year, the fourth time he has earned that honor in his time at UB.

Tang saved his best tennis for his final season in Buffalo, setting career-highs and reaching double-digit win totals in both singles and doubles action for the second straight year, while earning MAC Player of the Week honors three times. He ranks second on the team with 19 wins in singles play, most notably notching back-to-back clinching points at the MAC Tournament Championship, earning him Most Outstanding Player honors. He also compiled 17 doubles victories, primarily with teammate Daniils Snaiders at the first and second positions. Tang currently ranks third in program history with 63 doubles victories and also ranks 12^th with 58 singles wins.
Additionally, Tang was also named the recipient of the Jack Vredevelt Sportsman of the Year Award. He is the fifth UB player in school history to win that award and the first since Simon Wibler earned that honor in 2023.

Mitsakos earns postseason honors for the second straight year after tying a career-high with 17 singles victories, primarily at the first position, while also recording a career-best 19 doubles victories, including 10 with partner Mainguy, good for second best on the squad. With this successful junior campaign, Mitsakos moved into a tie for 18^th in program history in career singles wins (49) and doubles victories (44).

Mainguy has made an immediate impact in his first season in the blue and white, compiling 16 singles wins, including back-to-back wins in the MAC Tournament Championship and several clinch points in league play, and 11 doubles victories while earning MAC Player of the Week three times.

Nickell earns Coach of the Year honors after leading the Bulls to a remarkable turnaround in 2024-25 that saw the Bulls go from 0-10 in league action to a 9-1 mark this season, earning the both the regular season and MAC Tournament championship titles for the first time since 2017.

2025 MAC Men's Tennis All-MAC and Specialty Awards:
MAC Coach of the Year: Lee Nickell, Buffalo
MAC Freshman of the Year: Eldin Nokic, UIC
MAC Player of the Year: Anton Arzhankin, Western Michigan
Jack Vredevelt Sportsmanship Award: Cheng Tang, Buffalo

All-MAC First Team
Anton Arzhankin, Western Michigan
Theodoros Mitsakos, Buffalo
Iker Arrastia, Northern Illinois
Hanamichi Carvajal, Toledo
Eldin Nokic, UIC
Cheng Tang, Buffalo

All-MAC Second Team
Poonthong Komolpisut, Toledo
Ashton Adesoro, Western Michigan
Jacks Lancaster, Ball State
Nathaniel Webster, Ball State
Clement Mainguy, Buffalo
Milos Mikovic, UIC

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University at Buffalo Athletics

Three Bulls Earn All-MAC Recognition, Nickell Named Coach of the Year

Players Mentioned

Clement Mainguy

Theodoros Mitsakos

Daniils Snaiders

Cheng Tang

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