DENVER – Idaho’s Abid Akbar and Nevada’s Michelle Okhremchuk have been named Verizon Western Athletic Conference Men’s and Women’s Tennis Athletes of the Week, respectively, for the week of April 9-15.

Abid, a junior from Islamabad, Pakistan (Roots School), went undefeated in two singles and two doubles matches last week, helping Idaho to a pair of victories over Utah State and Hawai’i. The wins helped the Vandals clinch second place in the WAC and finish the regular season on a five-match unbeaten streak. Against Hawai’i, Akbar bested Chas Okamoto 6-2, 6-3 in No. 2 singles, and teamed with partner Andrew Dobbs to earn an 8-3 doubles win over Jared Spiker and Carter Lam. The singles victory was especially crucial, as the Vandals barely earned a 4-3 victory. Akbar also earned a straight sets victory over Utah State’s Marcus Fritz (6-2, 6-1) and again teamed with Dobbs for an 8-3 victory over Andrew and Lenny Whiting, as Idaho defeated the Aggies 6-1.

Okhremchuk, a sophomore from Doneck, Ukraine, went undefeated in singles and doubles play last weekend, while Nevada went 1-1 against Idaho and Gonzaga. She earned a 6-0, 6-3 victory in No. 1 singles against Idaho’s Vicky Lozano and teamed with Emma Verberne to defeat Lozano and Almudena Sanz in a tiebreaker, 9-8 (7-4). Despite her efforts, Nevada still fell to the Vandals 4-3. In the victory over Gonzaga, Okhremchuk turned in another straight victory, topping Prue Teitzel 6-3, 6-0. She and Verberne also notched a victory in No. 1 doubles. The two singles wins give Okhremchuk 20 this season, which is good for fifth most in a season at Nevada.

Other men’s nominees included: Hawai’i junior Dmytro Kovalyov … Utah State junior Sven Poslusny.

Other women’s nominees included: Idaho sophomore Beatriz Flores … Louisiana Tech junior Alena Erofeyeva … Utah State freshman McKenzie Davis.