University Park, Pa. — For the second-consecutive year, senior Michael James (Clifton, Va.) was named to the Men's Tennis All-Big Ten Team on Thursday evening. Junior Brendan Lynch (North Potomac, Md.) was also recognized as a 2008 Sportsmanship Award honoree.
James, who is ranked 64th in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association national singles rankings, finished the regular season with a 26-13 overall singles. The Nittany Lion senior tallied an 11-9 dual-match record at the No. 1 spot in the singles lineup. James went 5-5 in the Big Ten this spring. He most recently led the Lions in a 5-2 victory over Indiana with a dominating 6-1, 6-2 triumph against Thomas Richter. In all, James has battled 17 ranked opponents during the season, picking up seven victories along the way. The Lion standout surpassed the 100-career victory mark earlier this spring in Penn State's 6-1 victory over Cornell. James has tallied a 107-38 career record at Penn State.
James also made his first career appearances at the ITA All-American Tennis Championships and the ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships in the fall. The Nittany Lion senior claimed the 2007 ITA Northeast Regional Singles Championship in October.
In addition to his achievements in singles action, James has put together a stellar season in doubles play. He and Lynch gelled into a stout doubles tandem for the Lions during the 2008 dual season. James and Lynch tallied 13-straight victories before their first setback. They finished the regular season with a 14-3 mark in duals, including a 7-3 record in the Big Ten. They defeated three ranked opponents this spring, including then-21st-ranked Jason Jung and Mike Sroczynski of Michigan.
James is one of five Nittany Lions recognized as a member of the All-Big Ten team in Penn State history. In addition to James, Ivan Spinner (1993-94-95), Michael Carter (1996-97), Jamie Gresh (2001-02) and Mark Barry (2005-06) earned All-Big Ten honors while at Penn State.
The Big Ten also announced honorees from each team for the 2008 Sportsmanship Award Thursday, recognizing Lynch as one of 11 student-athletes who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior this season. The chosen student-athletes must also be in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting. The 11 honorees are now candidates for the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award, as the Big Ten will honor one male and one female student-athlete from each institution at the end of the school year.
Penn State will battle fourth-seeded Michigan in the quarterfinals of the 2008 Big Ten Men's Tennis Championship at 10 a.m. (CT) on Friday (April 25) in Iowa City. Fans can follow live scoring on www.hawkeyesports.com.