Xavier's Hell, Wheatley close out season as RRAC tennis players of the week

WACO, Texas – Julius Hell of Xavier University (La.) claimed the RRAC Men's Tennis Player of the Week award for April 15-21, while Xavier's McKenna Wheatley won the RRAC Women's Tennis Player of the Week honor for the same dates. This is the 12^th and final set of weekly winners for the 2024 RRAC tennis season.

Hell was named co-MVP (with doubles partner VanDer Woody) at the NAIA unaffiliated group tournament that Xavier hosted and won. The sophomore from Pforzheim, Germany, recorded three victories over ranked opponents while winning four matches. Hell clinched the semifinal victory over Texas A&M University-Texarkana and ended the 13-match winning streak of David Ekpenyong from Our Lady of the Lake University (Texas). Hell and Woody are ranked No. 3 in the ITA-NAIA doubles rankings, and Hell is ranked 32^nd in singles. Xavier qualified for the NAIA national tournament.

Wheatley was the only player to win in both singles and doubles in No. 4 Xavier's RRAC showdown with No. 13 LSU Alexandria. The sophomore from Madison, Miss., won at #5 singles over Carla Gil, 6-2, 6-1. Wheatley also teamed up with Mbali Langa at #1 doubles to defeat No. 14 Olivia Scattini and Annemart Kleijn. Wheatley and Langa are ranked 16^th nationally. Xavier is now 19-5 on the season. 

Additional RRAC tennis player of the week nominees: Lucie Ivanova (LSU Alexandria).

Previous 2024 RRAC tennis weekly selections: