Minnesota men’s tennis player Chris Wettengel won the 2003 Big Ten singles championship Monday in Ann Arbor, Mich., going 5-0 at the fall season-ending tournament. Wettengel, a senior, defeated the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds en route to the first Big Ten singles championship crown of his career.
Wettengel, the No. 7 seed, cruised through the draw without losing a set. He defeated Dima Ishtuganov of Indiana, 7-6 (3), 6-2 in the first round; Troy Havens of Purdue, 6-3, 6-4 in the second round; Ryan Heller of Michigan, 6-3, 6-3 in the third round; and Cameron Marshall of Michigan State, 7-5, 6-2 in the quarterfinals.
In the semifinals, Wettengel upset second-seeded Andy Formanczyk of Michigan State, 6-3, 7-6 (2). He then shocked No. 1 seed Michael Rubin of host Michigan in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4.
The Gophers’ fourth-seeded Avery Ticer went 2-1 in the event, winning his first two matches before being upset by Roddy Cantey of Penn State, 6-3, 6-3, in the third round. The Gophers’ Clay Estes also went 2-1, losing in straight sets to Formanczyk in the third round.
Three other Gophers – Sion Wilkins, Mikey Kantar and Brian Lipinski – fell in the first round and advanced to the first-round consolation bracket. Wilkins was eliminated in one match, Kantar in two. Lipinski won the bracket with a 5-0 record. Lipinski defeated Scott Green of Ohio State in three sets in the semifinals and won in the final by double opponent default.
Busse on academic team
Minnesota senior volleyball opposite hitter Cassie Busse was named first-team Academic All-District for the second year in a row. The first-team honor allows Busse to qualify for Academic All-America honors, which will be announced in early December.
Busse leads the Big Ten in service aces, is third in kills and is sixth in hitting percentage. She comes into the week averaging 4.73 kills per game, 2.20 digs per game, 0.81 blocks per game and hits .311. Busse leads the team in kills, hitting percentage and service aces. She is second in blocks and third in digs.
In eight matches this year, Busse has tallied 20 kills or more. She has tallied double-figure kills in 25 of 28 matches this season. Busse also received Big Ten player of the week honors twice this season (Oct. 13 and Oct. 27), making her one of only three players in Minnesota history to receive player of the week honors on four different occasions. She became the fourth player in school history to be named the American Volleyball Coaches Association national player of the week Oct. 27, in a week where she had 57 kills in two matches (30 against Michigan State and 27 against Michigan).
