ASUN Champion Liberty Sees 3 Named to VaSID All-State Teams

The 2022 ASUN champion Liberty men’s tennis team featured three honorees on the Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) University Division Men’s Tennis All-State teams, it was announced this week.

Liberty’s Josh Wilson and Nicaise Muamba both garnered VaSID All-State singles second team accolades. Meanwhile, Muamba and his doubles partner Rafael Marques Da Silva earned a place on the VaSID All-State doubles second team.

Both Wilson and Muamba are being recognized as all-state singles players for the third time each in their respective careers. Wilson was a first team honoree in 2019 and second team recipient in 2020. Muamba was named to the first team in both 2019 and 2021. This is the first time Muamba and Marques Da Silva have been recognized as an all-state doubles unit. Muamba previously earned VaSID All-State doubles second team honors with Chase Burton in 2019.

Liberty won its second straight ASUN Conference title in 2022, defeating FGCU 4-2 in the final. The Flames went on to compete in the NCAA Men’s Tennis Team Championship for the first time, competing against No. 20 NC State.

Liberty posted a 13-11 overall mark and 6-2 conference record, finishing the year with a No. 66 national ranking. The Flames were listed in each of the final 12 national rankings in 2022.

The VaSID All-State program honors the top collegiate student-athletes in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Nomination and voting are conducted by sports information directors within the Commonwealth. VaSID names 44 all-state teams in 23 sports each year, an Academic All-State squad and an all-sports champion in both the University and College Divisions. Membership in VaSID is open to all media relations professionals working at a university or conference in Virginia.

Josh Wilson (VaSID All-State singles second team)

An ASUN All-Conference first team member and the ASUN Scholar-Athlete of the Year (second straight year), Wilson set a new program record with 29 singles wins during the 2021-22 campaign. Also an ASUN All-Tournament team honoree and the No. 11-ranked singles player in the Atlantic Region at season’s end, Wilson posted a 14-6 mark in dual matches and 15-5 in fall tournaments.

Wilson held an 8-2 record at No. 1 singles after moving into that spot on March 25. The junior from Reigate, United Kingdom was also 6-4 at No. 2 singles and went 6-1 in ASUN singles contests. At the ASUN Championship, Wilson was a combined 4-0 (2-0 singles, 2-0 doubles) in helping Liberty to another title.

Wilson has one more year of eligibility remaining and currently ranks second in career history with 75 career singles victories and 10th with 59 doubles triumphs. His 29 wins surpassed the previous record of 28 victories, set by Sam Matheson during the 2015-16 campaign.

Nicaise Muamba (VaSID All-State singles second team)

Muamba closed out his Liberty career in impressive fashion during his senior season, earning several awards. The 2022 ASUN Championship MVP, Muamba also earned the 2022 ITA Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship Award and the Atlantic Region’s ITA Rafael Osuna Sportsmanship Award. An ASUN All-Conference second team honoree, Muamba finished the year as the No. 16-ranked singles player in the Atlantic Region.

Muamba was also an ASUN All-Tournament team selection and posted a 2-0 singles record and 2-1 doubles mark at the ASUN Championship. The Laval, Quebec, Canada native finished the spring with a 15-10 mark while playing in the No. 1 and No. 2 spots in the lineup. The senior was 6-2 in ASUN singles matches in the regular season and closed his career with four straight singles triumphs.

A two-time ASUN Player of the Year, Muamba ends his time at Liberty tied for third in program history for career singles wins (74) and tied for eighth in doubles wins (60).

Nicaise Muamba/Rafael Marques Da Silva (VaSID All-State doubles second team)

Muamba and Marques Da Silva were named 2022 ASUN Doubles Pair of the Year, Liberty’s second straight year earning the honor (2021: Deji Thomas-Smith/Christiaan Worst). The duo posted an 8-4 mark in the No. 1 position and a 5-1 ASUN mark.

Muamba and Marques Da Silva led all Liberty doubles pairings with 14 total victories (14-7 record), 11 of which came in dual matches. The duo went 2-1 at the ASUN Championship to help the Flames to the title. They are the fifth VaSID All-State doubles second team pairing in program history and third in the last four seasons.

2022 VaSID All-State Men’s Tennis University Division

VaSID Player of the Year – Chris Rodesch (Virginia)

VaSID Coach of the Year – Andres Pedroso (Virginia)

VaSID Rookie of the Year – N/A (no rookies were nominated)

VaSID All-State First Team

Singles

Chris Rodesch (Virginia)

Jeffrey von der Schulenburg (Virginia)

Ryan Goetz (Virginia)

Inaki Montes de la Torre (Virginia)

Holden Koons (James Madison)

Inigo Torre-Martin (VCU)

Doubles

Charles Bertimon/Maxence Bertimon (VCU)

Chris Rodesch/Ryan Goetz (Virginia)

Bar Botzer/Chris Rodesch (Virginia)

VaSID All-State Second Team

Singles

Josh Wilson (Liberty)

Gianni Ross (Virginia)

Maxence Bertimon (VCU)

Nicaise Muamba (Liberty)

Harrison Brown (William & Mary)

Charles Bertimon (VCU)

Doubles

Nicaise Muamba/Rafael Marques Da Silva (Liberty)

Inaki Montes/Ryan Goetz (Virginia)

George Davis/Harrison Brown (William & Mary)

Jordan Chrysostom/Ryan Fishback (Virginia Tech)