College Tennis Finest Honored at ITA Awards Luncheon at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center
FLUSHING MEADOWS, N.Y. – The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) recognized recipients of the 2012 Arthur Ashe Jr. National Leadership and Sportsmanship Awards along with the 2012 ITA Collegiate All-Star Team at the ITA Awards Luncheon hosted by the United States Tennis Association (USTA). The presentation took place in the President’s Suite Dining Room as part of Arthur Ashe Kids' Day activities (Aug. 25) at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, N.Y. Jon Vegosen, Chairman of the Board and President of the USTA, David A Benjamin, ITA Executive Director, and David Dinkins, former Mayor of New York City and a member of the USTA Board of Directors, were on hand to present the awards.
Those in attendance were Ashe recipients Simon Bardell, Gienna Gonnella, Caroline Newman, Tyler McCullough, Kara Murphy, Will Petrie, Cze-Ja Tam, David Spennare and Ryan Thacher along with All-Star Team members Beatrice Capra, Kerrie Cartwright, Kaitlyn Christian, Gabrielle Clark, Annie Hwang, Eric Quigley, Menford Owusu, Dillon Pottish, Georgi Rumenov and Sabrina Santamaria.
The ITA/Arthur Ashe Jr. Award for Leadership and Sportsmanship Award takes into account a player’s tennis accomplishments, scholastic achievements and extracurricular endeavors. Just as Arthur Ashe was a great player and humanitarian, this award (which dates to 1984) recognizes players who excelled on and off the court during their college careers. Sportsmanship, leadership and character are also important criteria.
The 29th ITA Collegiate All-Star Team includes the nation's top-ranked men's and women's players from the year-end Campbell/ITA College Tennis Rankings at the NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA and NJCAA levels, as well as winners of the 2011 USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships and 2012 NCAA Division I Championships.
ARTHUR ASHE LEADERSHIP AND SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD WINNERS
NCAA Division IRyan Thacher – Stanford University
Thacher worked with the East Palo Alto Tennis & Tutorial Program, spending 10 hours per week during the season tutoring underprivileged children. He also earned the 2012 ITA Northwest Region Rafael Osuna Sportsmanship Award and served as Stanford’s team captain for two seasons. A Studio City, Calif., native, Thacher established himself as one of the top doubles players in the nation, reaching the NCAA Division I Finals in 2011. Upon graduating with a 3.9 grade-point average in history, he was awarded an NCAA postgraduate scholarship. Thacher plans on becoming a pediatric surgeon or trauma specialist after playing pro tennis.
NCAA Division ICaroline Newman – College of Charleston
Newman recorded more than 150 victories in singles and doubles combined, helping the Cougars to four Southern Conference titles. She took part in a Heart for Africa Medical Mission trip to Swaziland, Africa, traveling to rural villages and treating over 400 patients during a five-day span. She also participated in an inner city tennis program, introducing tennis to economically-challenged children and mentored youths in the Win4Life motivational program. In addition to volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House, Newman helped organize a dog show that raised money for Pet Helpers, a local animal shelter in Charleston. The Greenboro, N.C. native owns a 4.0 GPA as a pre-medicine major. Her sister, Catherine, was a national Ashe Award winner for Vanderbilt in 2010. NCAA Division II
Tyler McCullough – West Liberty University
McCullough led West Liberty to its third NCAA Division III Atlantic Regional Tournament berth in 2012. He worked alongside other West Liberty student-athletes to organize games and activities for local children and found time during weekends to provide tennis lessons to local children. Despite battling injuries, he became the first student-athlete from the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference to win a major ITA award. Hailing from Wheeling, W.Va., McCullough was a member of two honor societies, posting a 3.5 GPA in accounting.
NCAA Division IIKara Murphy – Bentley University
Murphy posted 100 career singles wins and is a two-time All-Northeast-10 Conference Academic selection. She has been involved with Relay for Life in support of the American Cancer Society and Light the Night, a walk for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. She volunteered with The Wish Project and Cradles to Crayons, helping secure needed items such as clothing, furniture and home goods. An ITA Scholar-Athlete in 2012, Murphy helped run a hydration station at the Boston Marathon. The Worcester, Pa., native finished her undergraduate work a semester early and is working towards a master’s in accounting.
NCAA Division IIIWill Petrie – Williams College
A Columbus, Ohio native, Petrie has taken part in writing workshops and math tutoring at Williams and served as a Peer Academic Mentor for five fellow students. He is a member of the Best Buddies program – working with underprivileged and mentally and/or physically challenged individuals from the Williamstown, Mass., area. Petrie has served as co-President of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, and as a two-year captain, led his team to back-to-back semifinal appearances at the NCAA Championships. During all this, Petrie found time to complete a 120-page English thesis on Milton’s epic poem Paradise Lost.
NCAA Division IIICze-Ja Tam – Carnegie Mellon University
Tam registered over 100 wins in singles and doubles combined. Greatly touched by a visit to Kenya, Tam started a non-profit organization called Showers of Grace, which provides school supplies for children in Africa and China. To date, she has helped raise over $100,000 dollars, organizing fundraisers ranging from bake sales to car washes. She has also made mission trips to Kenya and Mongolia, teaching English and bible stories to orphans. Tam volunteers at the Pittsburgh Children’s Hospital and on the court has been called the most unselfish player her coach has ever seen. She is from Palos Verdes, Calif.
NAIADavid Spennare – Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Spennare earned All-Sun Conference Second Team honors in 2012. He has worked with Habitat for Humanity, cleaned local beaches, visited nursing homes during the holidays and purchased Christmas presents for underprivileged kids. Spennare, who grew up in Gothenburg, Sweden, serves as a member of his school’s Student Athlete Leadership Team and was honored with the NAIA Champions of Character Award in 2012. A business major with a 3.92 GPA, he was also recognized as an ITA Scholar-Athlete in 2011.
NAIAJordan Kimura – Concordia University-Irvine
A native of Laguna Nigel, Calif., Kimura is the founder of Project Joy, which raises money for special needs children. A talented artist, Jordan produces complimentary portraits for people who request them, then gives back 100 percent of the optional monetary donations to kids with Down Syndrome and Autism. Kimura is a four-time ITA All-American (twice in singles, twice in doubles) and managed to earn a bachelor’s degree in graphic design and a master’s in business administration during her four years of eligibility. She started her own graphic design business and has begun post-baccalaureate studies towards a doctorate degree.
Junior/Community CollegeSimon Bardell – Meridian Community College
Cited for displaying outstanding sportsmanship by his coach, Bardell's demeanor on the court doesn't change whether winning or losing. The Beulah, Australia native has been involved in the Salvation Army Christmas Angel Tree project and the American Cancer Society in its fight against breast cancer. He also contributed time to Love’s kitchen, a local soup kitchen and assisted with numerous tennis clinics on campus. Bardell owns a 3.43 GPA working towards a degree in sports medicine.
Junior/Community CollegeGienna Gonnella – Santa Rosa Junior College
Gonnella was ranked in the top 30 as a freshman in the Campbell/ITA rankings. She volunteered at Bob Burke’s Children’s Foundation, using her musical gifts to bring joy to clinically-ill children. She also spent the past year volunteering at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital and has devoted over 100 hours to Santa Rosa Junior College summer camps and the Girl Scout Expos, a program designed to introduce tennis to the masses. The Sebastopol, Calif., product attended every team fundraising event and never missed a practice during her career. For her senior service project, Gonnella hosted a tennis camp for local kids in West Sonoma County.
ITA COLLEGIATE ALL-STAR TEAM MEMBERS
NCAA Division I SinglesNicole Gibbs – Stanford University
Gibbs finished atop the Campbell/ITA NCAA Division I singles rankings, and in the process, captured both the NCAA Division I singles and doubles titles, becoming Stanford’s first singles champion since 2004. The Santa Monica, Calif., native was named the 2012 Campbell/ITA National College Player of the Year and the 2012 NCAA Honda Sports Award recipient for tennis. She finished her sophomore season with a 41-5 singles record, winning her last 17 matches. The four-time ITA All-American has earned a wild card entry in the main singles draw of the U.S. Open.
Marta Lesniak – Southern Methodist UniversityThe senior from Wroclaw, Poland won the 2011 USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate singles championship. She finished the season ranked second in the Campbell/ITA NCAA Division I singles rankings, compiling a 17-3 record, and completed her four-year career with the Mustangs with an overall singles record of 102-18.
Beatrice Capra – Duke UniversityCapra finished second on the Campbell/ITA NCAA Division I singles rankings list, finishing with a 32-5 overall record. The Ellicott City, Md., native also earned ITA National Co-Rookie of the Year honors in 2012 and received ITA All-American accolades. In 2010, she advanced to the third round of the U.S. Open before losing to Maria Sharapova.
NCAA Division I DoublesNicole Gibbs/Mallory Burdette – Stanford University
Burdette, a senior from Jackson, Ga., teamed with Gibbs to finish atop the season-ending Campbell/ITA NCAA Division I Doubles Rankings. The pair captured the 2012 NCAA Doubles title and were named the Campbell/ITA National Doubles Team of the Year. Both players have earned wild card entries into the singles main draw of the U.S. Open.
Kaitlyn Christian/Sabrina Santamaria – University of Southern CaliforniaChristian and Santamaria won the ITA National Indoor Doubles Championship, becoming the first USC pair to do so, and finished ranked third in the final Campbell/ITA NCAA Division I Doubles rankings. The tandem went 33-12 and earned ITA All-American honors in 2012. The ITA All-Star honor is the first for Christian, who hails from Orange, Calif., and Santamaria, a Los Angeles native.
Sofie Oyen/Allie Will – University of FloridaOyen and Will earned a spot of the ITA Collegiate All-Star Team by finishing second in the Campbell/ITA NCAA Division I Doubles season-ending rankings with a 24-4 record. Oyen is a native of Leopoldsburg, Belgium while Will, who hails from Boca Raton, stayed in state to play for the Gators.
NCAA Division IIAnnie Hwang – Brigham Young University-Hawaii
Hwang finished 2012 as the No. 1 women’s singles player in the NCAA Division II Campbell/ITA Rankings. She was a member of the All-Pac West First Team in singles and doubles. Hwang, who hails from Tainan City, Taiwan, finished the season 22-0 at No. 1 singles.
NCAA Division IIIGabrielle Clark – Emory University
Clark finished atop the Campbell/ITA NCAA Division III singles rankings and became the third women’s player in school history to win the singles draw at the NCAA Division III Championships. The Chicago native finished her sophomore campaign 27-4 in singles play. She is a four-time ITA All-American, being honored twice in singles and doubles.
NAIAAna Veselinovic – University of Auburn-Montgomery
Veselinovic placed first in the final Campbell/ITA NAIA singles rankings, finishing her senior season with a 23-2 record and capturing the 2011 USTA/ITA National Small College Super Bowl singles title. The senior from Merceg-Novi, Montenegro also led the Warhawks to the NAIA team title.
NJCAAKerrie Cartwright –Tyler Junior College
Cartwright finished 2012 as the No. 1 singles player in the Campbell/ITA NJCAA Rankings. Cartwright completed a triple crown last May, leading the Apaches to the NJCAA national championship while also capturing national titles in singles and doubles play. She received the ITA Rookie of the Year Award in 2012 and claimed the Junior College singles title at the 2011 USTA/ITA National Small College Championships. The Nassau, Bahamas native will play at Florida State this year.
NCAA Division I SinglesSteve Johnson – University of Southern California
The nation's top collegiate player finished atop the Campbell/ITA NCAA Division I Singles Rankings list after winning his second-consecutive NCAA singles title. Johnson also led USC to its fourth-straight NCAA team title. A seven-time ITA All-American, Johnson was named the Campbell/ITA National Collegiate Player of the Year for 2012 after finishing his senior season with a 37-0 record – extending his winning streak to 73 matches. The Orange, Calif., native has earned a wild card entry into the singles main draw of the U.S. Open.
Mitchell Frank – University of VirginiaFrank finished second in the Campbell/ITA NCAA Division I Singles Rankings with a 38-2 record. Hailing from Annadale, Va., Frank was crowned the USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate champion and received the 2012 ITA National Rookie of the Year Award.
Eric Quigley – University of KentuckyQuigley finished third in the season-ending Campbell/ITA NCAA Division I Singles Rankings, registering a 54-8 record. The senior from Pewee Valley, Ky., completed his Wildcat career with 172 career singles wins – the most in school history. Quigley was a five-time ITA All-American at UK and co-recipient of the ITA/Rafael Osuna Sportsmanship Award. He is the first men’s player in school history to earn a spot on the ITA Collegiate All-Star Team.
NCAA Division I DoublesChase Buchanan/Blaz Rola – Ohio State University
Chase and Rola finished atop the Campbell/ITA Division I Doubles Rankings, captured the NCAA Doubles Championship and were named the 2012 Campbell/ITA National Doubles Team of the Year with a 36-4 record. Buchanan, who is from New Albany, Ohio, and Rola, from Ptuj, Slovenia, also teamed to win the USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate doubles title.
Steve Johnson/Roberto Quiroz – University of Southern CaliforniaQuiroz teamed with Steve Johnson to finish second in the final Campbell/ITA NCAA Division I Doubles Rankings. Quiroz, who hails from Guayaquil, Ecuador, helped the Trojans to an NCAA Division I national championship in 2012 and has international playing experience competing for Ecuador in the Davis Cup and the Pan American Games.
Raony Carvalho/Gonzalo Escobar – Texas Tech UniversityCarvalho and Escobar finished 2012 rated third in the Campbell/ITA NCAA Division I Doubles Rankings, finishing with a 14-2 record. Carvalho, a native of Brazilia, Brazil and Escobar, who is from Manta, Ecuador, reached the NCAA Doubles Finals to earn ITA All-America honors and finished as the top two winningest players in school history.
NCAA Division IIGeorgi Rumenov – Armstrong Atlantic State University
Rumenov finished atop the season-ending Campbell/ITA NCAA Division II Singles Rankings, posting a 21-1 mark. He becomes the seventh Amstrong Atlantic player to be named to the ITA All-Star Team. The Barcelona, Spain native was also named the ITA Player to Watch in 2012.
NCAA Division IIIDillon Pottish – Emory University
Pottish secured the No. 1 spot atop the Campbell/ITA NCAA Division III singles rankings, finishing 34-3 in singles. He won the NCAA Division III singles title, helping the Eagles to a national championship and undefeated season. The East Quogue, N.Y., native was also named ITA National Senior Player of the Year for NCAA Division III.
NAIABruno Tiberti – Oklahoma Christian University
Tiberti finished the 2012 season rated No. 1 in the Campbell/ITA NAIA singles rankings, registering a 15-4 record. A sophomore from Buenos Aires, Argentina, Tiberti helped the Eagles to the NAIA team title by winning the decisive match and was named the Ward-Ballinger Outstanding Player of the NAIA Championship.
NJCAAMemford Owusu – Georgia Perimeter College
Owusu earned the top spot atop the Campbell/ITA NJCAA Singles Rankings. The Accra, Ghana native capped a stellar freshman season by winning the NJCAA national singles title and has seen Davis Cup action for his native Ghana.
