The Linfield men's tennis team started to make some noise in 2023. The Wildcats added key pieces to the roster to continue the upward trend, and leading the charge was Wilhelm Saiga.
 
Saiga transferred to Linfield this spring after spending the last two seasons at UC Santa Barbara. The newcomer made an instant impact as he ended his first season in McMinnville as a First Team selection to the All-Northwest Conference Men's Tennis Team, released Tuesday.
 
The junior became the first First Team All-NWC honoree for the Linfield men since Luis Rojas in 2019. He went 8-2 in No. 1 singles, which included a 5-1 mark in NWC play. He also helped pick up three doubles wins for the Wildcats (4-10, 3-5 NWC), playing every match in the No. 1 spot.
 
A product of Tiburon, California, Saiga is ranked No. 16 in the latest ITA West Region Top 25 Singles Rankings, released April 28. He was named the NWC Men's Tennis Student-Athlete of the Week on April 3 for his efforts in spearheading the 'Cats to a convincing 8-1 win over Puget Sound.