2024-25 Men's Tennis All-G-MAC Teams

Another top four finish for the Hillsdale College men's tennis team saw a young squad earn well-deserved honors from the Great Midwest Athletic Conference as the league announced its end-of-season awards on Thursday.

Three Chargers earned All-G-MAC honors, the league office announced, headlined by freshman Ryan Papazov, who not only earned first-team All-G-MAC honors, but also was named co-Freshman of the Year for the conference in a three-way tie with Northwood's Sergio Lopez Guillen and Tiffin's Romain Marionneau.

Papazov has developed into Hillsdale's top singles player over the course of his first season with the Chargers, moving into the No. 1 singles role midway through the season and putting up a 5-3 record in G-MAC play, and an 8-4 mark in singles since February 23rd as the Sutton, England native found his footing right before March. He's also been a part of successful doubles teams with a variety of teammates, posting a 12-14 record in doubles action. 

He's just the second player in Hillsdale College history to receive G-MAC Freshman of the Year honors, joining past ITA All-American Brennan Cimpeanu, who won the award in 2021. With three years of collegiate tennis remaining, Papazov looks like a key foundational piece for a young Chargers squad that is set to return all seven players next season.

Two more Chargers earned second-team All-G-MAC honors, as sophomores Ellis Klanduch and Henry Hammond both were recognized by the conference.

For both players, it's their first All-Conference honor, and a fitting accomplishment for a young team's two elder statesmen. Klanduch and Hammond are the only non-freshmen on Hillsdale College's roster this season.

Klanduch took on a much more important role for the Chargers as a sophomore, playing almost exclusively at No.1 or No. 2 singles and No. 1 doubles in a partnership with Hammond, and posting a 14-11 singles record, including a 6-2 mark in conference play. Klanduch was twice named the G-MAC Men's Tennis Player of the Week for his performances for the Chargers, and also finished above .500 in doubles with Hammond as his primary partner, going 12-11 on the season with a 5-3 record in G-MAC play. Hammond also has been a key contributor down the lineup for the Chargers, playing at multiple singles positions with a 10-8 overall record on the season, as well as his success with Klanduch in doubles.

With three players earning All-Conference honors, all of whom are either freshmen or sophomores, Hillsdale is in a strong position for the future, but will look to succeed in the now this weekend as the team plays in the G-MAC Tournament in Owensboro, Kentucky as the No. 4 seed today.