FMU’s Wijemanne earns ITA award

FLORENCE — Francis Marion sophomore Oshada Wijemanne has been named the 2009 recipient of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s (ITA) Player to Watch award for the NCAA Division II’s Southeast Region.

Wijemanne, a native of Colombo, Sri Lanka, compiled a 15-2 singles mark at the No. 1 position and is ranked ninth nationally. He was 6-1 in the tough PBC and owned a 3-2 mark against nationally
ranked opponents, including a regular-season win over the top-ranked singles player in Division II. In doubles play, he was 16-3 at the No. 1 position and is ranked sixth in the latest national rankings. He
was 3-2 against nationally ranked doubles teams.

The 17th-ranked Patriot men ended the season 16-6 and made their 13th NCAA National Tournament appearance in the past 15 years.

Emanuel Fraitzl of Barry University earned the Player to Watch national award.

Earlier, Wijemanne was named first-team All-Conference for his play in both singles and doubles.