Penn State Altoona student-athlete Nick Beard selected AMCC Player of the Week

NORTH BOSTON, N.Y. - Penn State Altoona student-athlete Nick Beard, of Manns Choice, was chosen as the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference's Player of the Week in men's tennis on Monday, April 15.

Beard helped the Penn State Altoona men's tennis team go 3-1 last week, including helping to clinch an AMCC co-regular season championship for the Lions. He compiled a perfect 4-0 record in No. 3 singles matches and a 3-1 mark in No. 2 doubles matches.

In Tuesday afternoon's 7-2 win over non-conference opponent Geneva College on the road, Beard won his No. 3 singles match by a score of 6-2, 6-3, and he partnered with Kadyn Carey, of Altoona, for an 8-7 (7-2) victory in No. 2 doubles. On Thursday, in a 9-0 victory at home over AMCC rival Mount Aloysius College,Beard earned a 6-3, 6-0 win in No. 3 singles and teamed up with Carey for an 8-4 triumph in No. 2 doubles.

Beard had another strong performance in the Lions' doubleheader split with AMCC opponent Penn State Behrend at home on Sunday, helping Penn State Altoona take a share of the conference's regular season title with Behrend. In the first match, he pulled out a 4-6, 6-3, 10-6 victory in his No. 3 singles match while suffering an 8-3 loss in No. 2 doubles. In match two, Beard earned a 7-6 (7-3), 6-0 win in No. 3 singles and joined up with Andrew Chronister, or York, for an 8-2 win in No. 2 doubles.

This is Beard's first career AMCC Player of the Week award.

Beard leads Penn State Altoona in AMCC singles wins this season, posting a perfect 6-0 record in singles matches against conference opponents. He holds a 10-3 overall record in No. 3 singles matches, tying for the second-most overall singles wins on the Lions. In doubles play, Beard has a 10-3 overall record, including a 5-1 record within the AMCC, with all of his appearances being in the No. 2 position.

Penn State Altoona men's tennis is 9-4 overall and finished its conference schedule with a 5-1 mark in the AMCC. The Lions conclude their regular season with a home match against non-conference opponent Lycoming College on Tuesday, April 16, at 4:30 p.m.

After that, Penn State Altoona will enter the AMCC Tournament as the number two seed in the four-team playoff field. The Lions will face third seed Pitt-Greensburg in an AMCC semifinal match on Saturday, April 20, at 5:30 p.m. at Westwood Racquet Club in Erie.