BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — West Alabama’s Afonso Portugal (player) and Valdosta State’s Pietro Casciola (freshman) earned the first of Gulf South Conference Men’s Tennis Weekly Awards presented by Athletic Solutions for the 2026 seaso, following their performances from Jan. 30-Feb. 8.
 
GSC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Afonso Portugal, Gr., West Alabama 

• Tallied two singles wins from court two to help the Tigers to wins over Spring Hill and Tuskegee.
  • Defeated Spring Hill’s Filipe Grebentsov (6-1, 6-0).
  • Defeated Tuskegee’s Emmanuel Wettey (6-1, 6-0).
• Teamed up with Maskim Goncharov to defeat Spring Hill’s Luke Turner and Will Huckell (6-0).
• Helped defeated Tuskegee’s Wettey and Jack Shaw (6-1). 

Other nominees: Jami Savolanien, AUM; Pietro Casciola, Valdosta State
 
GSC FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Pietro Casciola, Valdosta State

• Recorded first collegiate win against Middle Georgia’s Michael Glocman (7-6 (7-2), 7-5)
• Clinched the match while playing at the No. 6 position in singles lineup.

 Other nominees: none
 
2026 GSC Men’s Tennis Weekly Awards
Feb. 11: Afonso Portugal, West Alabama (Player) / Pietro Casciola, Valdosta State (Freshman)