Laier Named Co-Player of the Year; Six Earn All-AMCC Men's Tennis Honors

Laier Named Co-Player of the Year; Six Earn All-AMCC Men's Tennis Honors

ERIE, Pa. – Penn State Behrend men's tennis junior Jonathan Laier (Lansing, MI/Holt) was named the 2024 Co-Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) Player of the Year, while being one of six players to land on the All-Conference Team.

Laier was named to the First Team at No. 1 doubles and Second Team for No. 1 singles. Freshmen William Thomas (Greensburg, PA/Greensburg Salem) and Luke Vunora (Natrona Heights, PA/Highlands) were selected to the First Team for No. 5 and 6 singles, respectively, while teaming up at No. 3 doubles. Aidan Piazza (Fairview, PA/Fairview) and Owen Sinnott (Erie, PA/Collegiate Academy) No. 2 doubles, were voted to the First Team. Sinnott and Piazza were Second-Team choices at No. 3 and 4 singles, respectively. Lastly, Akash Sangha (Milton, Ontario/White Oaks) joined Laier at No. 1 doubles and was on the Second Team at No. 2 singles.

Laier posted a 5-1 AMCC record at No. 1 singles this season, splitting with the Co-AMCC Player of the Year Casey Hess from Penn State Altoona. He tallied a 10-5 overall record in this spot. In doubles, Laier registered a 6-0 AMCC mark and 5-0 with Sangha. In doubles, Laier takes a six-match winning streak into the Atlantic East Championships. He sits at 11-5 overall at No. 1 doubles. Laier was also named to the AMCC All-Tournament Team.

Thomas and Vunora are earning their first All-Conference honors. Thomas went 5-1 in AMCC singles action in the fifth spot and Vunora tallied a 5-0 record in the sixth spot. Together, they earned an overall 10-3 record while going 4-1 in conference play. Vunora sealed the AMCC Title for the Lions with a singles win in the championship match on Sunday to earn All-Tournament Team honors.

Piazza and Sinnott led Behrend at No. 2 doubles with a 5-1 conference record for First-Team accolades. The duo posted a 9-6 overall record and won both matches in the AMCC Tournament. Sinnott, competing at No. 3 singles, tallied a 4-2 conference mark and is 8-8 overall this season in singles action. Piazza only dropped one conference match and is 6-8 overall at No. 4 singles.

At No. 2 singles, Sangha recorded a 3-1 conference record to land on the Second Team. He currently has an 8-7 singles mark in singles action, going 7-7 in the second spot while picking up a win at No. 1 singles.