FAIRFIELD, Conn. - The Fairfield University men's tennis team garnered numerous postseason awards from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) as announced by the league office this afternoon. Head Coach Ed Paige was named the MAAC Men's and Women's Tennis Coach of the Year for the second-straight season while freshman Joe Michalisin (Melville, N.Y.) was named the Men's Rookie and Player of the Year.

In addition, Michalisin and sophomore Rob Ferrante (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) were named to the All-MAAC First Team while freshman Dan Sauter (Franklin Lakes, N.J.), freshman Aaron Chan (Thornhill, Ontario), junior Ryan Berthod (White Plains, N.Y.), and senior Chip Palumbo (Winchester, Mass.) were named All-MAAC Second Team. In doubles, the duo of Sauter and Berthod and the tandem of Chan and Palumbo earned All-MAAC First Team honors while Michalisin and Ferrante were named All-MAAC Second Team.

Paige guided both the men's and women's teams to highly successful seasons. The women's team (16-4) captured their eighth MAAC Championship and will face USC in the NCAA Tournament on May 9. The men's team went 18-2 on the season and 6-0 in MAAC play, earned a national ranking, captured the MAAC Regular Season Championship, and advanced to the finals of the MAAC Championship.

Michalisin had a phenomenal debut with the Stags, going 27-5 overall at No. 1 singles. During the spring, he was 18-2 and 5-1 in the league and capped off the year by winning his final 13 matches. He was also named MAAC Player of the Week twice. In doubles, he posted a 23-12 overall record, including a 12-7 mark in duals.

Ferrante, who was named the Co-Rookie of the Year and to the All-MAAC Second Team in 2008, continued his stellar play at fourth singles. Ferrante went 16-11 overall, including a 12-6 dual record and a 4-1 MAAC record, and won his final six matches of the year. In doubles, he went 19-13 overall and teamed with Michalisin at first doubles to go 11-7 in duals and 4-1 in the MAAC.

Sauter had an impressive rookie campaign going 21-7 overall, 14-4 in duals, and 4-1 in the MAAC. In doubles, he partnered with Berthod to go 17-3 overall, 15-2 in duals and 6-0 in the MAAC en route to a national ranking of 61st. Overall Sauter posted an overall record of 25-9 in doubles.

Berthod went 17-14 overall for the Stags, primarily at No. 5 singles. During the spring he notched a 13-6 record which included a 5-1 mark in the league. He also went 21-6 overall in doubles. He was also named to the MAAC All-Academic Team.

Palumbo, who earned All-MAAC accolades in both singles and doubles last season, had an impressive senior campaign. The two-time MAAC Player of the Week went 17-6 overall, 16-2 in duals, and 5-1 in the MAAC. He had a 15-match winning streak that earned him a national ranking from the ITA. In doubles, he went 21-11 overall. Palumbo also set the program record for combined career victories with 126. He finished his career with a 62-45 singles record and a 64-54 doubles record.

Chan, who joined the Stags for the spring season, went 10-4 overall, including a 5-0 MAAC record at third singles. He went 9-6 at third doubles with Palumbo as his partner.

All-MAAC First Team
No. 1 Singles: Joe Michalisin, Fairfield
No. 2 Singles: Loic Sessagesimi, Marist
No. 3 Singles: Nicholas Pisecky, Marist
No. 4 Singles: Robert Ferrante, Fairfield
No. 5 Singles: Landon Green, Marist
No. 6 Singles: Matt Himmelsbach, Marist
No. 1 Doubles: Christian Coley/Rhys Hobbs, Marist
No. 2 Doubles: Ryan Berthod/Dan Sauter, Fairfield
No. 3 Doubles: Nicholas Pisecky/Landon Green, Marist; Chip Palumbo/Aaron Chan, Fairfield

All-MAAC Second Team
No. 1 Singles: Christian Coley, Marist
No. 2 Singles: Dan Sauter, Fairfield
No. 3 Singles: Aaron Chan, Fairfield
No. 4 Singles: Marcus von Nordheim, Marist
No. 5 Singles: Ryan Berthod, Fairfield
No. 6 Singles: Chip Palumbo, Fairfield
No. 1 Doubles: Joe Michalisin/Robert Ferrante, Fairfield
No. 2 Doubles: Loic Sessagesimi/Matt Himmelsbach, Marist
No. 3 Doubles: David Lemieux-Sarrasin/Joe Zelic, Niagara

Player of the Year: Joe Michalisin, Fairfield
Rookie of the Year: Joe Michalisin, Fairfield