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	March 2018 TIB Newsletter Spotlight on Tamir Geva, Wingate University Tamir Geva has won 9 matches and lost 4 so far for the Wingate University men's tennis team. Geva, from Jerusalem, ISRAEL, is a sophomore at the North Carolina school, and has picked up wins playing at #4, #5 and #6 singles. Wingate University is currently ranked #10 in D2 NCAA tennis. Adva Cohen, Iowa Central FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Iowa Central track and field team opened its 2018 outdoor season with two new school records, four event champions, and 16 National Qualifiers at the Arkansas Spring Invitational at John McDonnell Field on Saturday. Adva Cohen's winning time of 4:21.57 was not only a school record, but an NJCAA record as well. Cohen, from Jerusalem, ISRAEL, defeated runners from the larger D1 schools University of Arkansas, Oklahoma State, University of Missouri, University of Tulsa and SMU. Bar Botzer, Wake Forest University March 30, 2018 By Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeMTen) WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The top-ranked Wake Forest men's tennis team suffered its second defeat of the season, falling to No. 10 Florida Friday afternoon at the Wake Forest Tennis Complex by a 4-3 margin. The Demon Deacons (15-2) were narrowly edged in the doubles point by the visiting Gators (14-5), as it was decided by a tiebreaker that went to extra points. Skander Mansouri and Ian Dempster started off doubles play in emphatic fashion, as the duo topped the top-ranked doubles team of Alfredo Perez and Johannes Ingildsen, 6-3, at the No. 1 doubles position. After Florida claimed a 6-2 decision at the No. 3 spot, the doubles point came down to a tiebreaker at No. 2 doubles. Both teams would have a handful of set points, but Florida eventually claimed the tiebreaker, 11-9, to give the Gators a 1-0 lead heading into singles. Florida quickly extended the lead to 2-0 with a win at No. 6 before Wake Forest responded with back-to-back wins to even the match. Borna Gojo, ranked 29th nationally, upset 11th-seeded Johannes Ingildsen in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2 in the No. 2 spot. Bar Botzer (Tel Aviv, ISRAEL) followed moments later with a 6-3, 6-2 victory at the No. 4 position. The Deacs were unable to hold the momentum, as Florida claimed the next two courts to clinch the match at 4-2. Daniel Cukierman, USC Interviewed by Universal Tennis Daniel Cukierman isn’t your average freshman varsity athlete. Before arriving at the University of Southern California, Daniel served for three years in the Israeli Army, a requirement of his home country. He also was able to represent Israel in the Davis Cup and reached a career-high ATP ranking of 525. After he was released from his military duties, Cukierman had a mandatory eight-month break from competition during which he made the decision to head to college to focus on his education and further improve his game. Universal Tennis had the chance to speak with Daniel on his college career and why he selected USC. Universal Tennis: How did you start playing tennis? Daniel Cukierman: I was six years old and my father took me to the courts and I had the same coach from when I was 6 to 18, so they both got me into tennis. UT: Why did you choose USC? DC: I visited five really good schools and was really impressed by all of them, but I had the greatest connection to the team, the coach and my teammates at USC. And the campus is unbelievable, it’s in LA, and it’s a great academic school so all together it was the right place for me. UT: What has been your career highlight so far? College highlight? DC: In 2016, I beat Amir Weintraub, who is 160 in the world, at the Israel Championship. I lost in the finals to the #17 in the world, but it was an unbelievable atmosphere and was broadcast on TV in Israel. I also won doubles in that tournament, which was awesome. In college, my highlight so far was the game against Georgia. It was my fourth game of the year against a really good team. It was me and another guy and we were both 4-5 points in the first set. It was the last match indoors, and when I won, my teammates jumped on me- it was really fun and a great experience. UT: What type of adjustment has it been for you to play on the college level? DC: Basically, I think all the rules – the nets on the serve and the subbing point are pretty rough the first couple of games, but you get used to it quickly and I feel confident now. It’s the same tennis but it’s a different kind of pressure, sometimes I’m more nervous here, but at the end of the day, Coach says “it’s all tennis”. Click here for the rest of the interview
	We wish all of our readers and athletes a Happy Passover! Visit our new Facebook page in Hebrew! https://www.facebook.com/theisraelbridge/

Daniel Skripnik Nets BIG EAST Men's Tennis Athlete of the Week Award

March 28, 2018

QUEENS, N.Y. - Following a perfect weekend in both singles and doubles play to help lead the St. John’s men’s tennis team to a pair of victories, Daniel Skripnik was named the BIG EAST Men’s Tennis Athlete of the Week by the conference office on Wednesday.

The junior helped the Red Storm (11-4) to a pair of thrilling victories over conference foe Marquette and Monmouth over the weekend to garner his first individual award.

Skripnik returned to singles play against Marquette for the first time in over year after the junior was sidelined due to surgeries on his shoulder and knee.

“Daniel has been working so hard since my arrival to get back on the court and help the team,” said St. John’s head coach Craig Schwartz. “It’s not only amazing for him to get back in the singles lineup, but for him to win the clinching point against Marquette in his first singles match back. I am proud of the way he competed for himself and his teammates.”

In the first meeting between the Johnnies and Golden Eagles since the thrilling 2016 BIG EAST Championship match, the programs failed to disappoint again with the home team prevailing with a 4-3 victory.

With the match tied at three, all eyes turned to the No. 6 court as the victory came down to just one match. Skripnik dropped the opening set, 6-4, but rallied to claim the second in convincing fashion, 6-2, to send the final match into a fitting tiebreaker. In the final set, the junior held off his opponent for a 7-5 win. VIDEO

Skripnik also captured a doubles victory against the Golden Eagles with a 6-3 triumph on the No. 3 court.

In the finale, the junior delivered again with a 6-1, 6-2 win on the No. 6 court to cement the weekend sweep for the Johnnies with a 4-2 victory over Monmouth.

Dor Saar, University of Maine

Portland, Maine -- University of Maine women's basketball head coach Amy Vachon was named the 2017-18 America East Coach of the Year while Dor Saar (Ma'anit, ISRAEL) was awarded the league's Rookie of the Year honor to headline Maine's six honorees who were recognized on March 2nd at the annual America East awards banquet held at The Westin Portland Harborview hotel.

Saar, who was also named to the America East All-Rookie team, was joined by four of her teammates as the Black Bears collected a total of eight honors.

Dor was a four-time America East Rookie of the Week recipient, becomes the seventh player in UMaine history to earn Rookie of the Year honors. The freshman guard posted nine double-digit scoring performances, seven of which coming against league opponents. Saar, who averaged 6.0 points and 2.9 assists while shooting 36.5 percent from 3-point range, ranked in the top five among rookies in points, assists and steals. UMaine's point guard, who ranked seventh in the league in assist/turnover ratio (1.7), checked in second among rookies in assists and ninth overall in the league.

Aviv Ben Shabat, Butler University

The Bulldogs picked up a conference win in their first BIG EAST contest of the season, downing Villanova, 6-1, March 23rd at the Butler Tennis Bubble in Indianapolis.

The win pushes Butler's overall record to 11-4 on the Spring. Villanova is now 5-9.

The Bulldogs got out to a strong start by taking the doubles point. Aviv Ben Shabat (Tel Aviv, ISRAEL) and Mason Dragos combined for a 6-3 win on the first court, while Ari Gerstein and Adrian Mag won, 6-2, at the No. 3 spot.

Dragos picked up his second win of the day with a 7-5, 7-6 win over Stefan Suarez at No. 1 singles. Butler took the first five singles matches in straight sets as Michael Dickson, Spencer Lang, Ben Shabat, and Mag all followed suit.

This was the first meeting between the two programs since Butler pulled out a 4-3 win in the BIG EAST Quarterfinals en route to the 2017 BIG EAST title in Cayce, S.C.

Butler returns to action April 4, traveling to Ball State for a 3 p.m. match.

Gilad Berman, Georgia Gwinnett College

The NAIA top-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College men's tennis team has a strong hold in the first Oracle national singles and doubles rankings, announced Thursday, March 15, by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.

GGC has five of the top 41 ranked singles players in the NAIA, including three within the top eight positions. Meanwhile, two teams stand among the top five in the doubles rankings.

Senior Kevin Konfederak affirms the top spot from his preseason ranking in singles with classmate Gilad Berman (Ramat Hasharon, ISRAEL) ranked second in the nation. Konfederak won his third NAIA singles national championship at the ITA Oracle Cup last October, and reached the quarterfinals at the ITA Fall National Championships. Berman has won all 16 of his matches this season. Junior Ayed Zatar is the eighth ranked singles player in the nation with a 12-2 record so far this spring.

In doubles, the Berman-Zatar tandem is the nation's top-ranked team. The duo has won all 12 of its matches this spring. Junior Rafael Coutinho has joined with Herrera Duran to have a 14-0 dual match record for fifth in the national rankings.

GGC has a 20-0 dual match record this season and has won 75 consecutive matches, the longest winning streak in collegiate sports.

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