WCC Awards Video

COSTA MESA, Calif.—Gonzaga junior Hayden Smith was named West Coast Conference Singles Player of the Week Tuesday after a leading the Zags to a 3-1 record during spring break.

The Breakfast Point, Australia, native also went 3-1 over the four matches during spring break, claiming individual wins in each of the Zags' three team wins. The first victory came as Smith beat SIUE's Jacob Perkins in two sets at No. 3 singles, helping the Zags beat the Cougars 5-2 on March 9. Two days later, He posted the biggest win in the match against Youngstown State, taking 12 of 16 games from Bassem El Mekawi again on court three. Smith's win was the Zags first point in a 4-3 comeback victory over the Penguins. Lastly, Smith earned the tying point March 15 against Sacramento State, beating the Hornets' Tom Miller in two sets to help the Zags get another comeback win on the week.

Smith also went 3-1 in doubles play over spring break, winning his first three doubles matches with the help of partner Vladimir Mijatovic. The two won close 7-5 matches against UC Santa Barbara and SIUE and beat Youngstown State's top doubles team in a tiebreak.

Overall, Smith has the Bulldogs' best singles record with a 9-2 mark, going 8-2 at No. 3 singles and winning his only match at No. 2 singles. He and Mijatovic also form the squad's top doubles pair as they've gone 7-1 atop the doubles lineup.

This is Gonzaga's first Player of the Week award since the conference office started issuing the honor at the beginning of the 2013-14 season. Before then, the WCC office honored an individual player every month. The last Zag to receive Player of the Month honors was Alvaro Nazal in September of 2012.

Smith, Mijatovic, and the rest of the Gonzaga men's tennis team will begin the WCC portion of their schedule when they host #50 Pepperdine Friday, March 20, at 1:00 p.m. That match will take place at The Stevens Center in Spokane.