March 10, 2011

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Samford men's tennis player Zac Dunkle was named the Southern Conference's Tennis Player of the Month Thursday as the SoCon Media Relations Department officially released its award winners for the month of February.

Dunkle, who was named the conference's player of the week on Feb. 22, recently completed a near-perfect month of February as he tallied a 5-1 record in singles play and an unblemished 6-0 mark in doubles.

In February, the Bulldogs' sophomore from Atlanta, Ga., extended his singles winning streak to four-consecutive matches and improved his doubles winning streak to six straight contests. Samford picked up a 7-0 non-conference win over Belmont on Feb. 19 and Dunkle earned a straight-set victory over Belmont's Rafael Matos at the No. 2 position, 6-0, 6-4.

Against Belmont, Dunkle also teamed with fellow sophomore Alexander Sajonz at the No. 2 doubles competition and came away with an 8-6 victory over the Bruins' Bruno Silva and Jonathan Murrell. In doubles play, he has paired with Sajonz in all six wins this season.

The Samford University men's tennis team will next be in action Saturday at 8 a.m. (CST) as the Bulldogs conclude their month-long, nine-match homestand against the Murray State Racers to be held at the Samford Tennis Center.