May 6, 2008

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y.- For the second time in as many years, a Marist men's tennis player has been named the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year. Marcus von Nordheim (Munich, Germany) garnered this year's accolade after teammate Loic Sessagesimi (La Tour-de-Peliz, Switzerland) got the honor in 2007. The Red Foxes also had six players named First Team All-MAAC.

Von Nordheim, who joined the team in January, had a strong rookie campaign. He went 7-3 overall and was 4-0 in the MAAC at second and third singles.

Sessagesimi was a First Team selection at second singles. The sophomore had a fantastic year that saw him go 13-2 in dual-match play. He has won 10 straight matches. Rookie Nicolas Pisecky (Laussane, Switzerland) was First Team at fourth singles after going 16-6 overall, and senior captain Greg Marks was a first teamer at fifth singles. Marks has won 13 in a row.

Marist's three doubles pairs were all named First Team All-MAAC. Sophomore Christian Coley (Glastonbury, Conn.) and Pisecky were the top choice at first doubles, and Marks and Sessagesimi were the pick at second doubles. Landon Greene (Palos Verde, Calif.) and von Nordheim were named First Team All-MAAC at third doubles after going 4-0 in the MAAC and 5-1 overall.

Greene and von Nordheim were both named Second Team All-MAAC in singles as well. Green was the selection at sixth singles while von Nordheim was the pick at third singles

The Marist men will head to the NCAA Tournament in Oxford, Miss. early Friday morning. They will practice on Friday afternoon before taking on #5 Mississippi in the first round on Saturday at noon EDT. Marist is presently on a 10 match winning streak. Ole Miss is the SEC Champion and will host the first and second rounds of the tournament. The other matchup in Oxford will be Vanderbilt and Indiana, with the winner facing off with the winner of Marist and Ole Miss.