Pirates Earn All-PBC Men's Tennis Honors

JONESBORO, Ga. - Freshman Eudaldo Bonet was named the 2009 Peach Belt Conference Men's Tennis Freshman and Player of the Year, highlighting the league's yearly awards banquet on Friday evening in Jonesboro, Ga.

Bonet becomes only the second men’s tennis player to capture both the Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year honors, joining North Florida’s Eduardo Pereira who received both in 2005. Bonet is ranked #2 in the nation after going 18-3 in dual match play this year, all at #1 singles. The native of Barcelona, Spain, won the ITA Division II National Singles title last fall and has beaten six top-10 players this spring. He becomes the third straight Pirate to win the Freshman of the Year honor but the first to win Player of the Year since Blaise Tribolet in 2001.

Bonet also earned first-team All-PBC singles. Senior Paul Bishop and sophomore Mikk Irdoja also earend All-PBC singles honors, being named to the second team. Bishop is 13-7 this dual match season in singles and currently is ranked No. 23 in the Campbell's/ITA DII National Rankings. Irdoja, meanwhile, carries a 19-2 dual match singles record and is ranked No. 25 in the nation.

In doubles, the Pirates placed two teams on the All-PBC squads. Bishop and Irdoja, the nation's fifth-ranked doubles team, earned first-team All-PBC doubles honors, while Rafael Array and Tim Johannsen, ranked No. 10 nationally, earned second-team All-PBC honors.

The Pirates are currently in defense of their PBC Tournament title and will face Columbus State in a semifinal match at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday.