VALDOSTA, Ga. - Valdosta State men's tennis star Boruch Skierkier and VSU softball standout Claire Maulding have been named this week's Steel's Jewelry Athletes of the Week.

Senior Boruch Skierkier, ranked No. 8 nationally in singles, went 3-0 this week at the top spot in the lineup with wins over No. 30 Columbus State, No. 30 Mississippi College and Auburn Montgomery.  Skierkier helped lead the No. 4-ranked Blazers to their 29th-straight victory dating back to last season and a perfect 13-0 as a team this year.  Skierkier, teamed with Jan Skerbatis, went 3-0 in doubles as well at the No. 2 spot helping VSU clinch the doubles point in all three matches.  In singles, he defeated Camilo Cano of Columbus State (6-4, 4-6, 6-4) and upset No. 4-ranked Alex Benichou Blanchard of Mississippi College 2-6, 6-3, 6-0 and won 6-0, 6-4 over No. 27-ranked Giuseppe Bonaiuti of AUM 6-0, 6-4.  In doubles, the tandem didn't drop more than three games in each match and defeated Blanchard/Rafael Fabio of MC who were ranked No. 48, 6-3.  Skierkier is 21-3 this year in singles and 11-6 in doubles, while he is 10-1 in singles this spring and 5-1 in GSC play, while he is 9-2 in doubles this spring and 4-2 in league play.  

Claire Maulding had a solid week as she went 2-1 in four appearances with three starts, three complete games, two shutouts while recording one save.  She had a season-best 0.65 ERA in 21.2 innings, allowing 15 hits, two earned runs, walked just two and fanned 13 as teams hit just .195 against her.  Maulding pitched a a 7-0, shutout of Columbus State allowing just two hits, while fanning ten and walking two.  She then earned the save with one strikeout in the second game of the DH against CSU.  In the opener at No. 5 Auburn Montgomery, she tossed a complete game shutout of the Warhawks with just four hits and one strikeout in a 1-0 win.  Maulding retired 17-straight during the game.  She pitched 7.1 innings in a 2-1, 8-inning loss on Sunday to the Warhawks, allowing nine hits, two earned runs, walked none and fanned one.