May 2, 2007

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA . . . The Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) announced today that Luther College freshman Max Busch (Duluth, Minn./Marshall) has been named 2007 IIAC men’s tennis Most Valuable Player and Luther head coach Brian Huinker has been named 2007 IIAC men’s tennis Coach of the Year.

Busch enters the NCAA Tournament with a 30-12 overall record this spring, including matching 15-6 singles and doubles records. He won the IIAC Flight A singles title and led Luther to the Conference Championship. He is eighth among Conference players with 15 or more decisions with a .714 singles winning percentage. His .647 winning percentage at #1 singles (11-6) was second among players with 15 or more decisions at the position. Busch teamed with Jono Martin for a 14-5 doubles record, ranking third overall and first among #1 doubles teams with a .737 winning percentage.

Huinker received Coach of the Year honors for the second consecutive year and third time since 2002. He led the Norse to its Conference-record 27th men’s tennis Championship, ending Coe’s six-year reign. Luther received an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament and enters its first NCAA Tournament since 1997 with a 28-6 overall record. He coached four champions and two runners-up in the Conference Individual Tournament.

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