Michigan, Michigan State, USC Secure Weekly Tennis Awards

ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference has announced its men’s tennis weekly awards for matches played April 15-19, 2026.

Co-Player of the Week
Bjorn Swenson, Michigan
Sr. – North Oaks, Minn. – Mounds View HS

• Went 4-0 overall (2-0 singles, 2-0 doubles) as No. 39-ranked Michigan swept Purdue and No. 55 Indiana by 4-0 scores in Ann Arbor, Mich.
• Won 41 of 59 games played for a .695 winning percentage
• Clinched match point (for the sixth time this season) against Purdue with a 6-2, 5-7, 6-1 win over Henrik Villanger at No. 2 singles; also secured the doubles point against Purdue
• Dropped one game against Indiana in a win at No. 2 singles in his final home match
• Earns his second Player of the Week Award of the season (also won on January 14)
• Last Wolverine named Big Ten Player of the Week: Max Dahlin (February 11, 2026)

Co-Player of the Week
Ozan Baris, Michigan State
Sr. – Okemos, Mich. – Okemos HS

• Compiled a 4-0 overall record (2-0 singles, 2-0 doubles) to lead No. 23 Michigan State to wins over No. 55 Indiana and Purdue
• Defeated Purdue’s Maj Premzl, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 at No. 3 singles to clinch match point in his final home match, giving Michigan State its first Big Ten Championship since 1967
• Recorded wins at No. 3 singles and No. 2 doubles versus Indiana as Michigan State rallied for its 10th win of the season against a ranked opponent
• Joined forces with Matthew Forbes to post a pair of victories at No. 2 doubles
• Collects his fifth career Player of the Week award and second of the season
• Last Spartan tabbed Big Ten Player of the Week: Aristotelis Thanos (April 1, 2026)

Freshman of the Week
Branko Djuric, USC
Fr. – Budva Montenegro – SMS Danilo Kis

• Finished undefeated on the week with a 4-0 overall record (2-0 singles, 2-0 doubles)
• Locked down match point in back-to-back wins for No. 20 USC against Washington and No. 51 Oregon
• Won a pair of road singles matches on center court in straight sets
• Teamed with Connor Church and Max Exsted to post two wins at No. 2 doubles; captured the doubles point versus Washington
• Receives his third Big Ten weekly honor of the season, having previously been named Freshman of the Week on March 11 and Player of the Week on April 16
• Last Trojan chosen Big Ten Freshman of the Week: Max Exsted (April 8, 2026)

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

April 1         
P: Aristotelis Thanos, R-Sr., MSU
P: Emon van Loben Sels, R-Jr., UCLA
F: Kyle Chesman, Fr., PSU

April 8         
P: Cyrus Mahjoob, Jr., NU
F: Max Exsted, Fr., USC

April 16       
P: Branko Djuric, Fr., USC
F: Gabriel Debru, Fr., ILL

April 20       
P: Bjorn Swenson, Sr., MICH
P: Ozan Baris, Sr., MSU
F: Branko Djuric, Fr., USC