BEAUMONT, Texas – Lamar University freshman Rintaro Shukuda has been named Southland Conference Men's Tennis Player of the Week announced league officials Tuesday afternoon. Riding largely off his victory over a nationally ranked singles player in his first match as a collegiate athlete, Shukuda takes the first weekly superlative award of the season.
 
A native of Sapporo Hokkaido, Japan, Shukuda opened his Lamar career with two singles wins and a doubles victory playing primarily No. 3 singles and doubles.
 
The Cardinals opened the 2026 spring schedule with one of the toughest schedules nationally.  Lamar faced three nationally ranked teams in their first four matches including one in the top 10 (No. 7 Mississippi State).
 
Shukuda opened the season playing No. 3 singles against the Bulldogs where he squared off against the 34^th-ranked singles player in the country – Br Hernandez Cortes. After dropping the opening set, 6-1, Shukuda bounced back to force a third winning the match, 1-6, 6-4, 6-4. He currently has two singles wins and a doubles victory on the young season.
 
The Cardinals will be in Baton Rouge Saturday to take on Southern University. The match is slated for a 2 p.m. start.