RICHARDSON, Texas (April 1, 2026) — Lone Star Conference officials announced the weekly men's tennis honors Wednesday, and Lubbock Christian University swept the awards for the first time in program history, as junior
Kelly Giese was named Singles Player of the Week and teamed with senior
Mattia Ghedin to earn Doubles Team of the Week recognition.
Giese, a management major from Manhattan Beach, California, led the No. 14 Chaparrals to a 2-0 opening weekend in conference play, posting a perfect 2-0 record at the No. 1 singles position. Ranked No. 4 nationally, Giese opened with a 6-2, 6-3 win over UT Dallas' Benjamin Dubois before delivering the match-clinching point in a top-10 showdown at No. 7 UT Tyler. Facing No. 40 Artiom Dorofeev, Giese rallied for a 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 victory to secure a 5-2 team win, marking LCU's first-ever victory over UT Tyler and snapping a five-match skid in the series.
The straight-sets win and comeback performance extended Giese's singles winning streak to 12 matches, improving his season record to 25-5 overall and 14-1 in dual matches, all at the top position. He also contributed in doubles play, going 2-0 at the No. 1 spot during the weekend.
Ghedin, a senior from Treviso, Italy, joined Giese in making conference history, as the tandem became the first in program history to earn the league's Doubles Team of the Week honor in the honor's inaugural season. Ranked No. 10 nationally, the duo went 2-0 at the No. 1 doubles position, helping LCU secure the doubles point in both matches.
They opened with a 6-3 victory over UT Dallas before delivering the decisive result against UT Tyler's No. 12-ranked pair of Daniil Felker and Carel Wessel. With the doubles point hanging in the balance, Ghedin and Giese produced a 6-3 win to clinch the point and provide momentum in LCU's historic 5-2 victory.
The tandem has now won five consecutive matches together and continues to establish itself among the nation's elite, playing a pivotal role in LCU's 7-3 record against nationally ranked opponents this season.
The singles honor for Giese marks his third Singles Player of the Week honor and the sixth of his career. The sweep of both weekly honors highlights a strong start to Lone Star Conference play for the Chaparrals, who also claimed a 7-0 road victory over UT Dallas prior to their ranked win over UT Tyler.
