VALDOSTA, Ga. – Valdosta State junior Boruch Skierkier and freshman Natalie Rainke were named Gulf South Conference Men's and Women's Freshman of the Week, respectively, the conference office announced Wednesday.  This is Skierkier's first weekly honor and Rainke's second.  
 
Skierkier improved to 20-1 this season in singles with three wins over Delta State, Christian Brothers and No. 17 Mississippi College this past week.  Skierkier won all three singles matches with 6-0 wins in the first set and downed Harry Browning of Delta State 6-0, 6-0.  He lost just six games over the week helping No. 3 VSU to a 13-3 record and a 6-1 mark in GSC play.
 
He and sophomore Jan Skerbatis were No. 47 nationally last week and won all three matches in doubles as well.  For the spring Skierkier is 16-0 in singles and 7-0 in GSC play, while he is 10-1 in doubles with Skerbatis and 5-1 in league play.  Skierkier is 29^th nationally this week and he and Skerbatis are 36^th nationally in doubles.
 
Rainke, went 3-0 in singles this week helping VSU to a 2-1 record in wins over Delta State and Christian Brothers and a loss to No. 27 Mississippi College.  Rainke was the one winner in the 6-1 loss to MC on Sunday.  In doubles, she went 2-1 as well and lost 7-6 (7-4) to Mississippi College's duo of Ana Rodriguez and Gabrielle Geolier.  She is 5-2 this spring in GSC play and 6-7 overall at the top spot.  In doubles, she is 8-3 this spring with fellow freshman teammate Aneta Poborilova and 4-1 in GSC play at the No. 2 spot.
 
The No. 3-ranked Blazer men's team and the No. 37-ranked women's team open a big week at home versus Auburn Montgomery Wednesday afternoon at the VSU Tennis Complex at 3 p.m.