Ohio State and UCLA Claim Men’s Tennis Weekly Awards

ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference has announced its men’s tennis weekly awards for matches played March 18-22, 2026.

Player of the Week
Nikita Filin, Ohio State
So. – Glenview, Ill.

• Produced a 5-1 overall record as No. 5-ranked Ohio State defeated No. 9-ranked Texas A&M, No. 61-ranked Indiana, and Purdue on the road by a combined 12-2 score
• Compiled a 3-0 singles record and didn’t drop a set while winning 72.5 percent of his games (37-of-51)
• Teamed with Brandon Carpico to post a 6-3 victory over the 13th-ranked doubles team from Texas A&M
• Filin and Carpico, sporting a 29-5 record, are ranked No. 1 in doubles by the ITA
• Earns his third Big Ten Player of the Week Award this season, having been recognized on September 24 and February 4

Freshman of the Week
Cassius Chinlund, UCLA
R-Fr. – Los Angeles, Calif.

• Clinched match point at No. 6 singles to help No. 24-ranked UCLA to a 6-1 win over No. 30-ranked Wisconsin Friday
• Dropped one game in a straight-sets win at No. 5 singles in the Bruins’ 6-0 triumph over No. 45-ranked Nebraska
• Has won 13 of 16 singles matches to start his collegiate career
• Becomes the first Bruin this season to capture Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors
• Is the third different UCLA player to be named Freshman of the Week since the award’s inception last year
  
  
  
  2025-26 Big Ten Men’s Tennis Player of the Week
  Sept. 17       
  P: Ozan Baris, Sr., MSU
  F: Adam Jilly, Fr., ILL
  
  Sept. 24       
  P: Nikita Filin, So., OSU
  
  Oct. 1          
  P: Aidan Kim, Jr., OSU
  F: Sam Olszakowski, ORE
  
  Oct. 8          
  P: Nicholas Steglehner, Sr., MICH
  F: Arnav Bhandari, Fr., MICH
  
  Oct. 15        
  P: Sam Landau, Sr., IND
  F: Jeri Lassila, Fr., NEB
  
  Oct. 22        
  P: Spencer Johnson, Jr., UCLA
  F: Max Dahlin, R-Fr., MICH
  
  Nov. 5         
  P: David Saye, Sr., MSU
  
  Nov. 12       
  P: Jack Anthrop, Sr., OSU
  F: Max Dahlin, R-Fr., MICH
  
  Jan. 14         
  P: Bjorn Swenson, Sr., MICH
  F: Max Exsted, Fr., USC
  
  Jan. 21         
  P: Alex Okonkwo, Jr., OSU
  F: Sasha Colleu, Fr., ILL
  
  Jan. 28         
  P: Alexander Bernard, Sr., OSU
  F: Jeri Lassila, Fr., NEB
  F: Max Exsted, Fr., USC
  
  Feb. 4          
  P: Nikita Filin, So., OSU
  F: Cooper Han, Fr., NU
  
  Feb. 11        
  P: Max Dahlin, R-Fr., MICH
  F: Max Dahlin, R-Fr., MICH
  
  Feb. 18        
  P: Jack Anthrop, Sr., OSU
  F: Kyle Chesman, Fr., PSU
  
  Feb. 25        
  P: William Mroz, Sr., ILL
  F: Max Exsted, Fr., USC
  
  March 4       
  P: Gabriel Debru, Fr., ILL
  F: Adam Jilly, Fr., ILL
  
  March 11     
  P: Zach Viiala, R-So., ILL
  F: Branko Djuric, Fr., USC
  
  March 18     
  P: Matthew Forbes, So., MSU
  F: Adam Jilly, Fr., ILL
  
  March 25     
  P: Nikita Filin, So., OSU
  F: Cassius Chinlund, R-Fr., UCLA