DALLAS — Kennesaw State men's tennis controlled Conference USA's weekly awards with Nathan Walters, Leon Peranovic and Kyvan Rietkerk each recognized by the league on Wednesday.

Walters earned CUSA Men's Tennis Athlete of the Week, while Peranovic and Rietkerk were named the conference's Men's Doubles Team of the Week.

The trio of Owls becomes KSU's first-ever CUSA weekly award winners, and first to win any such conference award since Raul Garcia was named ASUN Men's Player of the Week on April 17, 2024.

Behind the success of Walters, Peranovic and Rietkerk, the Owls went 3-0 a week ago with home wins over UAB (4-2), Lipscomb (5-2) and Presbyterian (4-3). KSU is now 12-4 overall, headed into its final five matches of the regular season.

Walters' week included a 3-0 mark in singles play, with each win coming in straight sets. Against the Blazers, Walters defeated Axel Frechet 6-2, 6-2 on court five. Walters moved up to court four against the Bisons and Blue Hose and proceeded to beat Oskar Szymczak 6-3, 7-5, and Daksh Prasad 6-3, 6-4.

The freshman from Cirona, Spain, holds a team-high six-match singles win streak and a team-best 12-2 singles record. With Walters' help, the Owls are 50-31 (.617) in singles play this season.

Peranovic, a freshman from Hanover, Germany, and Rietkerk, a junior from Zoetermeer, Netherlands, were paired for their first doubles matches of the season and quickly made an impact, going 2-1 a week ago. KSU's No. 1 doubles team defeated UAB's Ondrej Valek and Juan Pablo Valdez 6-4, then tilted the momentum of the Lipscomb match in the Owls' favor with a thrilling 7-6 (7-4) victory over Szymczak and Alex Vlahos.

KSU is on the road at Howard, March 27, and Navy, March 28, in its final road matches of the regular season.

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The Champions Fund is a newly created, 100% tax deductible, philanthropic opportunity to contribute strategic revenue to Kennesaw State Athletics, with the goal of strengthening our ability to recruit and retain top-tier talent in this new era of collegiate athletics. Contributions to the Champions Fund will help aid in funding student-athlete recruitment and retention, as well as helping the Owls provide competitive excellence through investments in coaching, travel and facilities. The fund will also give an elevated student-athlete experience, including enhanced academic, nutrition, wellness and leadership programs. Donate to the Champions Fund here and help us support our Kennesaw State Owls.