Lozano and Vilms Earn All-America Status

PROVO -- Carlos Lozano and Gert Vilms were named to the All-America team Monday, capping a fantastic season for the doubles pair. Lozano and Vilms finished the season with a 24-9 doubles record and a No. 14 national ranking.

"They had a great year," BYU head coach Jim Osborne said. "I'm proud of those guys."

These are the first two All-America citations for the BYU men's tennis team since 1988. In that year, Osborne's first season as BYU's head coach, Johnny Mattice and David Harkness also earned All-America honors for their play. BYU now has had 12 players named to the All-America team.

Vilms, a senior, and Lozano, a junior, finish their doubles career together with a 50-15 record. Osborne said the key to their success had a lot to do with more than just their impressive tennis skills.

"They both have strong serves, strong returns and fast hands at the net," Osborne said. "And like most good doubles teams, they get along well off the court."

The tandem earned the All-American honors by virtue of their seeding in the NCAA Championships. By receiving one of the top-eight seeds at the doubles championship in College Station, Texas, Lozano and Vilms automatically qualified for the All-American team. The pair lost in the first round of the tournament, but had already earned its spot on the All-America team.