KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Western Michigan men's tennis student-athlete Jannik Opitz has been named a CoSIDA First Team Academic All-American on Friday afternoon.
 
The 2020 Academic All-American® Men's At-Large Team, selected by CoSIDA, recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances in athletic competition and in the classroom. The CoSIDA Academic All-America® program separately recognizes honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.
 
Opitz becomes the 29th Bronco to earn First Team Academic All-American honors and joins WMU men's tennis great Jeff Brink as the only athletes in program history to be named a two-time Academic All-American. Brink was a first team selection in 1999 and 2000.
 
"Jannik has reached the pinnacle with this latest academic honor to go along with his MAC Player of the Year award from 2018-19," said head coach Dave Morin. "We talk to our players a lot about pursuing excellence both in the classroom and on the court and Jannik has entered elite company with this recognition. We're proud to have him presenting the Brown & Gold."
 
The Hildesheim, Germany native boasts a 4.0 GPA in finance and earns the honors for a second time in his career. Opitz was a First Team Academic All-District selection last season en route to being named a Second Team Academic All-American. He is the reigning Mid-American Conference Player of the Year and was on the path to repeating before the season was ended due to the coronavirus outbreak.
 
 The two-time First Team All-MAC selection will return next season to finish off his senior year after the NCAA granted student-athletes from spring sports an extra year of eligibility. Opitz is also on the cusp of WMU history, sitting just 15 wins shy of tying the program's all-time record.