NEWPORT NEWS, VA - CNU sophomore tennis standout Eric Shulman has received a big award before heading to the NCAA Division III singles championship tournament in the Cleveland area.

Shulman was named the Atlantic South Region's “Player to Watch,” one of four such honors given to men's tennis players across the country.

The others are Amherst's Austin Chafetz for the Northeast Region, North Central's Sam Sweeney for the Central Region and California Lutheran's Andrew Giuffrida for the West.

Shulman, ranked fourth in his region, will play a first-round national match May 28.

Having lost to just one D-III opponent all spring (Vassar's Mike Mattelson, No. 6 in the Northeast Region), the powerful, crafty Shulman will carry a 13-match singles winning streak into the nationals. Shulman only lost one of 27 sets during that streak and is now at home in the Richmond area, preparing for his first NCAA appearance.

The “Player to Watch” award is open to second- or third-year players. They should have had an outstanding collegiate year, but can not have reached the final of an ITA national event or have won an ITA regional championship event. Regional and national winners may be named the Player to Watch once.