Chang and Venning named all-league, Wheelock earns sportsmanship nod
BOSTON, MA - Wheelock College men's tennis senior Wilson Chang (Lee, MA/Lee) and junior Bobby Venning (Greenfield, NH/ConVal Regional) both earned New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) all-league laurels on Monday, when the squad was also honored with the NECC Sportsmanship Award for the second straight season.
Chang and Venning were each lauded for their singles play this spring, as Chang garnered his program-record third overall all-conference accolade and second all-league singles award. Venning drew his initial postseason nod for either singles or doubles.
Chang was among seven NECC All-Conference first team selections, and the only one not hailing from one of the regular-season co-champions, Lesley University and Mitchell College. The fourth-year captain went 4-4 from No. 1 singles during NECC play, sweeping to straight-set victories in two of his matches. His other two wins came after falling in the first set but rallying for three-set triumphs. Chang's only losses came against a pair of Lesley and Mitchell players who combined to go 14-2 this spring in league action.
Venning, one of three honorable mentions, went 3-3 at No. 2 singles during conference play, notching each of his wins in straight sets. One of his losses was in three sets, while the other two came against Lesley and Mitchell players who were a combined 14-2.
The duo also posted a 4-2 NECC record at No. 1 doubles, suffering its only two losses against Lesley and Mitchell teams that went a combined 14-1. The four games Chang and Venning won against the Mariner pair matched a season high yielded by that tandem.
Chang, who drew an NECC All-Conference singles nod in 2010 and a North Atlantic Conference (NAC) all-league doubles laurel in 2008 as part of a league-champion No. 1 doubles team, completed his career as the winningest player in program history. He holds records with 35 overall wins, 15 singles triumphs, and 20 doubles victories.
Venning heads into his senior year second in program history only to Chang in career overall (19) and doubles (10) wins, while he stands tied for second in singles triumphs (9).
Wheelock went 2-8 overall this spring, including 2-6 in the NECC, while six players qualified for a program-record eight draws at last weekend's league championship. Under first-year head coach Emilio Zamalloa, the Wildcats earned their second straight sportsmanship laurel. Chang was joined by senior Lauren Webber (Falmouth, MA/Falmouth) as captains.
