Upcoming Event: Men's Tennis versus MW Fall Qualifier on October 3, 2025
M Tennis
vs MW Fall Qualifier
Grand Canyon University Athletics
WAC's top awards swept by GCU
4/29/2021 9:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Prudhomme, Lang, Da Silva earn all 3 major WAC honors
The Grand Canyon men's tennis team was well represented in the All-WAC awards this season, sweeping the three major awards and earning nine other All-WAC honors.Â
GCU head coach Greg Prudhomme was named WAC Coach of the Year for the third time while senior captain Valentin Lang earned Singles Player of the Year and Jonathan Da Silva was named Freshman of the Year. This marks the second time in three seasons that the Lopes swept all three major conference awards and the first time that the entire GCU starting lineup earned all-conference honors.
Prudhomme put together a tough schedule for the Lopes this season, playing four matches against both Pac-12 and Mountain West opponents in the nonconference season. That competition prepared the Lopes for the back end of the season that concluded in a five-match winning streak, GCU's second straight WAC regular-season championship and the WAC Tournament No. 1 seed.
Lang, a senior last season, returned to GCU with an extra year of eligibility because of the COVID-19 pandemic and led a young roster with eight newcomers. The Mulhouse, France, native earned his first major conference award by leading the Lopes in singles wins and finishing the conference season at 3-0. Lang ended the regular season on a high note, winning his last six matches. Lang also joins GCU all-time great Lorenzo Fucile as the second Lope to win the WAC Player of the Year while also earning first-team spots in singles and doubles.
Da Silva burst onto the scene right before the conference season began. The freshman moved up to the No. 4 position in WAC play and won all three matches in straight sets. He ended the regular season with five wins in his last six matches. Da Silva also boasted singles wins against Utah State and Idaho State in nonconference play.
Along with Lang and Da Silva also being on All-WAC first team for singles, fellow seniors Freddie Grant and Justin Cvitanovic also landed on the first team. Grant earned first-team honors for the second time, playing at the No. 6 position. He tied Lang for the team lead in singles wins with seven while ending the regular season on a five-match winning streak. Cvitanovic, a sixth-year senior, earned first-team singles honors for the first time while boasting a 3-0 record in WAC play.
In doubles, the Lopes took home all three first-team spots. Lang and freshman Jiri Novak led the team with a 9-5 record at the No. 1 position and held an eight-match winning streak from March 9 to April 13. At No. 2, Cvitanovic and sophomore Mariano Argote finished 3-0 in WAC play and won four of their last five matches of the regular season. At No. 3, Grant and freshman Loic Van Zeggelaar also went 3-0 in conference play and finished 6-4 in doubles.Â
Along with doubles honors, Argote and Novak earned spots on the All-WAC second team. Argote, in his first season as a Lope, played primarily at No. 2 singles and finished 6-6 with a 3-0 mark in WAC play. Novak played in three singles positions, including winning three times at No. 5 and ending the regular season on a three-match winning streak.
No. 1 seed GCU heads to the WAC Tournament at New Mexico State to play No. 4 Chicago State in a Saturday semifinal at noon (Phoenix time).
Â
Â
Â
Â
 Â
Â
GCU head coach Greg Prudhomme was named WAC Coach of the Year for the third time while senior captain Valentin Lang earned Singles Player of the Year and Jonathan Da Silva was named Freshman of the Year. This marks the second time in three seasons that the Lopes swept all three major conference awards and the first time that the entire GCU starting lineup earned all-conference honors.
Prudhomme put together a tough schedule for the Lopes this season, playing four matches against both Pac-12 and Mountain West opponents in the nonconference season. That competition prepared the Lopes for the back end of the season that concluded in a five-match winning streak, GCU's second straight WAC regular-season championship and the WAC Tournament No. 1 seed.
Lang, a senior last season, returned to GCU with an extra year of eligibility because of the COVID-19 pandemic and led a young roster with eight newcomers. The Mulhouse, France, native earned his first major conference award by leading the Lopes in singles wins and finishing the conference season at 3-0. Lang ended the regular season on a high note, winning his last six matches. Lang also joins GCU all-time great Lorenzo Fucile as the second Lope to win the WAC Player of the Year while also earning first-team spots in singles and doubles.
Da Silva burst onto the scene right before the conference season began. The freshman moved up to the No. 4 position in WAC play and won all three matches in straight sets. He ended the regular season with five wins in his last six matches. Da Silva also boasted singles wins against Utah State and Idaho State in nonconference play.
Along with Lang and Da Silva also being on All-WAC first team for singles, fellow seniors Freddie Grant and Justin Cvitanovic also landed on the first team. Grant earned first-team honors for the second time, playing at the No. 6 position. He tied Lang for the team lead in singles wins with seven while ending the regular season on a five-match winning streak. Cvitanovic, a sixth-year senior, earned first-team singles honors for the first time while boasting a 3-0 record in WAC play.
In doubles, the Lopes took home all three first-team spots. Lang and freshman Jiri Novak led the team with a 9-5 record at the No. 1 position and held an eight-match winning streak from March 9 to April 13. At No. 2, Cvitanovic and sophomore Mariano Argote finished 3-0 in WAC play and won four of their last five matches of the regular season. At No. 3, Grant and freshman Loic Van Zeggelaar also went 3-0 in conference play and finished 6-4 in doubles.Â
Along with doubles honors, Argote and Novak earned spots on the All-WAC second team. Argote, in his first season as a Lope, played primarily at No. 2 singles and finished 6-6 with a 3-0 mark in WAC play. Novak played in three singles positions, including winning three times at No. 5 and ending the regular season on a three-match winning streak.
No. 1 seed GCU heads to the WAC Tournament at New Mexico State to play No. 4 Chicago State in a Saturday semifinal at noon (Phoenix time).
Â
Â
Men's Tennis Conference Awards |
|
| Award | Player, School |
| WAC Coach of the Year | Greg Prudhomme, GCU |
| Singles Player of the Year | Valentin Lang, GCU |
| Freshman of the Year  | Jonathan Da Silva, GCU |
2020-21 Men's Tennis All-WAC First Team Singles |
|
| Position | Player, School |
| No. 1 | Valentin Lang, GCU |
| No. 2 | Nicolas Buitrago, New Mexico State |
| No. 3 | Justin Cvitanovic, GCU |
| No. 4 | Jonathan Da Silva, GCU |
| No. 5 | Pedro Alvarez, Chicago State |
| No. 6 | Freddie Grant, GCU |
2020-21 Men's Tennis All-WAC First Team Doubles |
|
| Position | Player, School |
| No. 1 | Valentin Lang/Jiri Novak, GCU |
| No. 2 | Mariano Argote/Justin Cvitanovic, GCU |
| No. 3 | Freddie Grant/Loic Van Zeggelaar, GCU |
2020-21 Men's Tennis All-WAC Second Team Singles |
|
| School  | Player(s) |
| Chicago State | Jakub Zamorski |
| GCU | Jiri Novak, Mariano Argote |
| New Mexico State | Corey Clarke, Louis Menard |
| Seattle U | Eli Ogilvy |
2020-21 Men's Tennis All-WAC Second Team Doubles |
|
| School  | Player(s) |
| Chicago State | Javier Sanchez Pradillo/Pedro Alvarez |
| New Mexico State | Corey Clarke/Martin Simecek |
| Seattle U | Lucas Cerbelli/Eli Ogilvy |
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
GCU Athletics 2025-26 Welcome Back
Tuesday, September 16
Kendra Potts Post Match Press Conference | GCU vs NAU 9.7.25
Monday, September 08
"Your Life Arizona" Featuring Vice President of Athletics Jamie Boggs
Friday, September 05
Kaleb Smith | Media Availability | 9.3.25
Thursday, September 04