AMERICAN SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE TENNIS PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Games: March 3 - March 9, 2026
MEN’S PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Payne Smith, Jr., Hardin-Simmons
Payne Smith earns his second consecutive ASC Men's Tennis Player of the Week honor after a successful week competing at No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles for Hardin-Simmons. In a 5-2 HSU win over Oklahoma Wesleyan, Smith and Gabriel Harris defeated Yassine Azehaf and Roman Gonzalez Leeks 6-3 in No. 1 doubles. He then went on to win a three-set battle at No. 1 singles against Gonzalez Leeks, 6-4, 5-7, 10-6.
He continued his strong week with No. 1 singles and doubles wins in matches against West Liberty University and Carroll University. Against Carroll, Smith and Harris defeated Ulrik Gellein and Ryan Labelle 6-0 in doubles, and Smith followed with a 6-3, 6-0 singles victory over Gellein. Smith has been a steady force at the No. 1 spot for the Cowboys this season.
WOMEN’S PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Sydney Tomlin, So., Hardin-Simmons
Hardin-Simmons sophomore Sydney Tomlin earns ASC Women's Tennis Player of the Week honors after competing at No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles in four Hardin-Simmons matches this week. In singles play, Tomlin defeated Rochester's Katie Yang 6-3, 6-2. She also earned a win against Shenandoah University's Atlee Hilliard, 3-6, 6-3, 10-6, rallying in the second and third sets for the victory. She concluded the week with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Natasa Pupovac of Carroll University.
In doubles, Tomlin competed with Brenna Gordon at the No. 1 spot and earned wins over Rochester, Shenandoah, and Carroll.
OTHER OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCES
Parker Hoel (Howard Payne) had a strong week for the Yellow Jackets, going 2-1 in singles play across three matches. Hoel competed at No. 5 singles and earned a win against West Liberty University, 7-5, 6-2.
Kendra Werlein (Howard Payne) led the Yellow Jackets with a singles victory, defeating her Oklahoma Wesleyan opponent 6-0, 6-2 at the No. 4 spot.