PVAMU Men's Tennis Prepares To Defend SWAC Title With New Recruits

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas  -- The defending Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament Championship Prairie View A&M Men's Tennis team bolstered its stacked roster by adding a few top recruits. 

Junior Bruno Snyder transfers from Lamar out of the Southland Conference was undefeated against Southwestern Athletic Conference players in 2013. Junior college transfer James Jackson advanced to consecutive NJCAA National Tournament in singles competition in, while freshman Malik Norris advanced to UIL Regional Tournament as a senior at Beaumont Ozen High School.

 

In singles competition against conference opponents including the 2013 SWAC Tournament, Prairie View A&M players combined to go 34-2. They did not drop a single match in the conference tournament. Under the direction of coach John Cochran, the Panthers plan on repeating those results and repeating as SWAC Tournament Champions. 

Bruno Synder
Height: 5-9
Weight: 162
Class: Junior
Hometown: Lima, Peru
Previous School: Lamar

 

SOPHOMORE: Went 5-13 as a sophomore at Lamar in singles competition…Snyder compiled a 4-9 record in doubles competition…Went 2-2 in conference play in singles competition…He went 2-0 at the No. 3 position against Southwestern Athletic Conference Opponents and defeated Prairie View A&M's Craig Wiltz 6-3, 6-4…Went 2-1 the final three matches of the season with wins over Oral Roberts and Texas Pan-American.

 

FRESHMAN: Went 8-9 in singles play with a 1-4 conference record ... Posted 1-1 record at No. 4 singles, defeating Matt Himmelsbach of Marist ... Played primarily at fifth position, going 7-8 with wins against Troy's Tadju Davies, Southern Miss' Jovan Zeljkovic, UMKC's Conner Edwards, Nicholls' Roy Knight, Louisiana's Damian Farinola and Air Force's Grant Taylor ... Teamed with Mikko Rajamaki to go 5-10 at No. 3 doubles with a 1-4 mark in the Southland ... Posted wins over Andres Sanchez and Tommy Cundy of Troy Fabrice Myrtil and Temuera Asafu-Adjave of Florida A&M and Nicolas Moreno and Jason Lateko of UT Arlington.

 

HIGH SCHOOL: Ranked among the top 400 juniors internationally by the ITF ... Played junior tennis in Frankfurt, Germany ... Also participated in two junior Davis Cup qualifiers.

James Jackson Jr. 
Height: 5-6
Weight: 180
Class: Junior
Hometown: Clarksdale, Miss.
Previous School: Itawamba CC

 

SOPHOMORE: In the No. 2 Singles spot Jackson helped lead Itawamba CC to a Top 25 finish in the Men's National Tennis Tournament at the Collin Tennis Facilities in Plano, Texas…Jackson was eliminated in the consolation round of singles competition…Finished ranked No. 78 Nationally among all junior college players. 

 

FRESHMAN: Made it to the NJCAA DI Men's Tennis Region 23 Tournament Singles Championship match…Led Itawamba CC to a 2012 Conference Championship…

Malik Norris
Height: 5-3
Weight: 125
Class: Freshman
Hometown: Beaumont, Texas
Previous School: Ozen

 

HIGH SCHOOL: Won first place in the 2013 District 20-4A Tennis Tournament…Advanced to the UIL Regional Tournament for three consecutive years as a varsity letterman…Was the first player in Beaumont Ozen High School History to advance to the Regional Round of The State Tennis Tournament. 

COURTESY PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION