Ross, Speelman Garner HCAC Honorable Mention Honors

DEFIANCE, Ohio – Juniors Mike Ross and Cord Speelman were recognized by the coaches in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference on Tuesday for their strong play during the 2013 men's tennis season at Defiance. The two were named All-HCAC Honorable Mention.  [All-HCAC Teams]

Ross played the number one singles position this spring for the Yellow Jackets. The junior recorded a record of 5-8 in the regular season and a mark of 3-4 in HCAC matches. Ross finished the season strong, winning each of his last two matches to help DC secure a spot in the HCAC Tournament.

Speelman split time between the two and three singles spots throughout the season. The Bryan, Ohio native combined to go 9-9 on the year, including a 7-5 record at the three singles position. Speelman was also the only member of the Purple and Gold to finish conference play with a winning record, as the junior finished 5-3 in the Heartland.

The two-award winners both played doubles for the Yellow Jackets. Speelman was part of the one doubles team, while Ross was a member of the two doubles tandem. Speelman teamed up with Ryan Nelson to accumulate seven wins and Ross partnered with Craig Bills to record five victories.

This honor marks the first time for both Ross and Speelman to receive this recognition.

Also receiving an award from the Heartland on Tuesday was Defiance graduating senior Craig Bills, who was named to the HCAC All-Sportsmanship Team for his outstanding attitude on the court.

The Purple and Gold tennis program finished the season with a regular season record of 8-12 and a conference mark of 4-5. DC qualified for the HCAC Tourney for the first time since 2010 as the number six seed.