Seward County Tennis Lands Four on ITA All-American Teams

by Ian Applegate SCCC

LIBERAL, Kan. – The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) has recognized four Seward County tennis players for their outstanding play this season, naming Nicolas Rousset, Duro Opacic, Hugo Lobo and Patricia Panta to their JUCO Alll-American Team for the 2018 season.

Opacic earns ITA All-American status on the heel on becoming an NJCAA All-American with a second-place finish at the NJCAA National Tournament last month. Opacic rounds out his Seward County career with the most career singles wins in Saints history with 34 wins.

Joining Opacic in the Men’s Singles All-American team is Nicolas Rousset.  After winning the No.1 Singles Region VI Championship, the freshman out of France finished in 3^rd place at the NJCAA National Tournament in the No. 1 Singles spot.

Rousset was also named an All-American in doubles play with his partner Lobo.  Lobo also earned NJCAA All-American status in singles play this year, finishing his freshman season as the National Runner-Up at the NJCAA National Tournament.  Lobo and Rousset finished in 3^rd place at the National Tournament in the No. 1 Doubles flight after winning the Region VI Championship in No. 1 Doubles.

On the women’s side, Panta showed up for the Lady Saints, maintaining the No. 1 Singles spot throughout the season.  The freshman won 15 matches on the season, including the Region VI Championship, before finishing the season in third place at the NJCAA National Tournament. Panta becomes the seventh ITA All-American in program history.

This marks the second straight year that the Seward County tennis program has had All-Americans on both the men and women’s teams.  The four All-Americans are the most Seward County has had in a single season.

2018 ITA All-Americans

Men’s Singles
Marcus Walters, Tyler Jr. College
Tin Chen, ASA Miami
Nicolas Rousset, Seward County Community College
Juan Cruz Scoppetta, Laredo Community College
Christopher Bulus, New Mexico Military Institute
Guilherme Dos Santos, Seminole State College
Nils Michael, Eastern Florida State College
Alex Parker, Tyler Jr. College
Duro Opacic, Seward County Community College
Frederich Flibleuil, ABAC

Men’s Doubles
Alex Parker/Marcus Walters, Tyler Jr. College
Tin Chen/Sergio Ingles, ASA Miami
Hugo Lobo/Nicolas Rousset, Seward County Community College
Frederich Flibleuil/Ferninand Spickhoff, ABAC
Manuel Pilotto/Juan Cruz Scoppetta, Laredo Community College

Women’s Singles
Tamara Arnold, Tyler Jr. College
Celia Morel, ABAC
Patricia Panta, Seward County Community College
Ceire Mullins, Hillsborough Community College
Maria Genovese, Tyler Jr. College
Yulianna Monroy, Eastern Florida State College
Valentina Gonzalez, Seminole State College
Lisa Khamassi, ASA Miami
Georjeman Rowe, New Mexico Military Institute
Kalani Soli, Tyler Jr. College

Women’s Doubles
Maria Genovese/Kalani Soli, Tyler Jr. College
Valentina Gonzalez/Mariam Mujawimana, Seminole State College
Ceire Mullins/Shaylee Syme, Hillsborough Community College
Lisa Khamassi/Sara Wardenburg, ASA Miami
Sarah Manserri/Yulianna Monroy, Eastern Florida State College