April 19, 2007

FORT WORTH, Texas - Radu Barbu was named the Mountain West Conference Men's Tennis Player of the Week, the league office announced on Thursday. Barbu went 5-0 overall last weekend as the Horned Frogs won all three matches to secure a No. 2 seed in the MWC Championship.

Barbu went 3-0 in singles play at the No. 3 position against Air Force, UNLV and No. 46 New Mexico to record an undefeated 6-0 record in conference play this season.

Against UNLV, Barbu clinched the match with a dramatic come-from-behind victory over Slavko Bijelica, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6(3), as the Frogs edged the Rebels, 4-3. The following day, Barbu came from behind once again to record a critical win over Graeme Kassautzki, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4, to tie the match with No. 46 New Mexico.

The Pitesti, Romania, native also went 2-0 in doubles play with Christopher Biro at the No. 2 position. The duo recorded dominating victories over pairs from Air Force and UNLV.

This season, Barbu has recorded a 10-2 singles record and currently rides a seven-match winning streak. The TCU senior has also contributed to seven victories at the No. 2 doubles position since his return on March 14, after only one win had previously been recorded at the position.

The honor marks the second for the Horned Frogs this season, as junior Cosmin Cotet earned conference accolades on Jan. 31 for his efforts against UT-Pan American and Clemson.

The men will return to action on April 26 at 4 p.m. CT against Air Force in the quarterfinals of the MWC Championship in Colorado Springs, Colo.