Carmel, Ind. - Transylvania men's tennis senior Nick McNamee has been named the 2022 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year for men's tennis, the conference announced Tuesday. 

In the vote of coaches across the league it was McNamee, a senior from Belfry, Kentucky (Belfry HS), who took home the honors, after another splendid season at Transylvania saw him lead the team in his final season. Playing in both No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles all spring, he was a pillar for the Pios in singles play and also elevated his teammates when in doubles. 

Also receiving prestige were sophomores Elijah Skaggs and Jared Wells, who were named All-HCAC Honorable Mention selections after fantastic sophomore seasons in the fall & spring. Skaggs played in No. 1 doubles throughout the 2022 season alongside McNamee, and also held things down in the No. 2 singles spot. Wells was a staple in No. 2 doubles all year, going 4-1 against league opponents. 

After being named to the HCAC All-Conference team last year, McNamee returned to the court for his senior campaign and guided the team through a demanding schedule in both the fall and spring. The group faced a challenging slate of matches, including three that were played in Orlando to kick off March. The experience helped the team substantially as they returned to HCAC play to finish up the season. 

McNamee was named the HCAC Player of the Week for men's tennis on February 14th, after he took wins in both No. 1 singles and No. 2 doubles over Otterbein. Against conference opponents this spring, the senior went 4-1 in No. 1 singles and 3-2 in No. 1 doubles overall. 

This season's award caps off a career for McNamee in which he received conference honors in each year. As a first-year in 2018-2019 he was named All-HCAC Honorable Mention, and in 2019-2020 was named to the All-HCAC Academic Team. After last year's All-Conference team award and this year's major distinction as Player of the Year, McNamee has certainly left his mark across Transylvania in the past four years. 

On his influence and impact on the Transylvania men's tennis team, head coach Kevin Calhoun said "Nick is an amazing example of perseverance, hard work, and a team first spirit. For him to be recognized is special for the entire program". 

McNamee and the Pioneers will look to finish strong in the HCAC Tournament, which begins on Friday, May 6th, and runs through the weekend at Top Seed Tennis Club in Nicholasville. 

For more on Transylvania men's tennis, follow @TransyMTennis on Twitter