St. John's University Athletics
Ignacio Garcia, Louis-nils Michel Earn Spots on All-BIG EAST Teams
5/6/2021 2:30:00 PM | Men's Tennis
Red Storm seniors named to the conference's first and second teams
QUEENS, N.Y. – Following a season that saw their team advance to the BIG EAST Championship, seniors Ignacio Garcia and Louis-nils Michel found spots on the All-BIG EAST First and Second Teams, respectively, the conference announced on Thursday afternoon.
"Nachi [Ignacio Garcia] and Nils [Louis-nils Michel] both had great years and are very deserving of these BIG EAST awards," said Head Coach Dillon Pottish. "Nachi was in the running for Player of the Year, going undefeated in singles, and Nils was dominant at any spot I put him this year. Both represent St. John's extremely well both on and off the court."
2021 marked the first time that Garcia and Michel were eligible for these honors in a Red Storm uniform, as each came to Queens as transfer students prior to the abbreviated 2019-20 campaign.
Garcia dominated his competition this season, going undefeated in singles matches with a record of 13-0 en route to receiving the nod to the All-BIG EAST First Team. The San Juan, Puerto Rico, native also went 9-5 in doubles action in 2021, including a 4-2 mark while paired up with Giuseppe De Camelis.
At the BIG EAST Tournament, Garcia won his singles contests in both the semifinals and championship match. Including a victory over All-BIG EAST Second Team selection Luis Heredia of Marquette to help lift his team to the finals. The Red Storm senior pulled out a clutch victory as well in the finals, edging DePaul's Christopher Casati in three sets, which tied the match at three at that time.
Through his first two seasons in Queens, Garcia has posted a 27-6 overall record in singles play, including a 23-2 mark since last spring. He has also been honored twice by the BIG EAST as Player of the Week in his two seasons. The senior has another year of eligibility remaining due to Covid-19.
Michel put together an impressive season of his own in 2021 that earned him a spot on the All-BIG EAST Second Team. The Red Storm senior posted an 11-1 record on the year while going 6-1 on the No. 3 court. The Montpellier, France native, posted a 10-1 doubles record in 2021, going 4-1 on the No. 2 court and 6-1 in the No. 3 slot.
Michel was especially impressive at the BIG EAST Tournament, where he won all three of his matches on the No. 4 court in straight sets for the Red Storm. Michel dominated against Xavier, taking his contest, 6-2 and 6-1, before winning in matches that were a bit more closely contested against Marquette and DePaul. He and De Camelis also picked up a doubles victory, 6-1, in the BIG EAST Semifinals.
After a junior campaign that saw Michel go 5-7 in singles and a strong 19-5 in doubles play, he burst onto the scene in 2021, particularly on the singles court, and was a key contributor in the Red Storm's 16-2 overall record and trip to the BIG EAST Championship. Like Garcia, Michel has the option to return to Queens for another season despite his status as a senior.
"Nachi [Ignacio Garcia] and Nils [Louis-nils Michel] both had great years and are very deserving of these BIG EAST awards," said Head Coach Dillon Pottish. "Nachi was in the running for Player of the Year, going undefeated in singles, and Nils was dominant at any spot I put him this year. Both represent St. John's extremely well both on and off the court."
2021 marked the first time that Garcia and Michel were eligible for these honors in a Red Storm uniform, as each came to Queens as transfer students prior to the abbreviated 2019-20 campaign.
Garcia dominated his competition this season, going undefeated in singles matches with a record of 13-0 en route to receiving the nod to the All-BIG EAST First Team. The San Juan, Puerto Rico, native also went 9-5 in doubles action in 2021, including a 4-2 mark while paired up with Giuseppe De Camelis.
At the BIG EAST Tournament, Garcia won his singles contests in both the semifinals and championship match. Including a victory over All-BIG EAST Second Team selection Luis Heredia of Marquette to help lift his team to the finals. The Red Storm senior pulled out a clutch victory as well in the finals, edging DePaul's Christopher Casati in three sets, which tied the match at three at that time.
Through his first two seasons in Queens, Garcia has posted a 27-6 overall record in singles play, including a 23-2 mark since last spring. He has also been honored twice by the BIG EAST as Player of the Week in his two seasons. The senior has another year of eligibility remaining due to Covid-19.
Michel put together an impressive season of his own in 2021 that earned him a spot on the All-BIG EAST Second Team. The Red Storm senior posted an 11-1 record on the year while going 6-1 on the No. 3 court. The Montpellier, France native, posted a 10-1 doubles record in 2021, going 4-1 on the No. 2 court and 6-1 in the No. 3 slot.
Michel was especially impressive at the BIG EAST Tournament, where he won all three of his matches on the No. 4 court in straight sets for the Red Storm. Michel dominated against Xavier, taking his contest, 6-2 and 6-1, before winning in matches that were a bit more closely contested against Marquette and DePaul. He and De Camelis also picked up a doubles victory, 6-1, in the BIG EAST Semifinals.
After a junior campaign that saw Michel go 5-7 in singles and a strong 19-5 in doubles play, he burst onto the scene in 2021, particularly on the singles court, and was a key contributor in the Red Storm's 16-2 overall record and trip to the BIG EAST Championship. Like Garcia, Michel has the option to return to Queens for another season despite his status as a senior.
Players Mentioned
Men's Tennis NCAA Selection Show
Tuesday, April 30