Twelve Men's Tennis Players Earn All-America Honors from ITA
HADLEY, Mass. – A total of 12 men's tennis players from six different NESCAC teams have been honored as All-America for the 2010-11 season by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA). Among the 12 were four individuals who received All-America recognition for the second year in a row, including Bowdoin senior Stephen Sullivan, a four-time All-NESCAC and All-America honoree.
NESCAC and NCAA champion Amherst College led the way with five individuals earning All-America accolades. Returning from last year were junior Austin Chafetz and sophomore Mark Kahan. The duo were joined by senior Moritz Koenig, junior Wesley Waterman, and sophomore Luis Rattenhuber, who garnered All-America at both singles and doubles. The Lord Jeffs won their first conference crown since 1992 and their first-ever national title this past spring after finishing as the runner-up in each of the previous two years.
Sullivan, who received singles and doubles recognition, was honored alongside doubles partner Oscar Pena from the Polar Bears. Pena and Sullivan won the 16-team NCAA doubles tournament in May, becoming the first doubles pair from Bowdoin to do so. Sullivan was also singled out by the ITA earlier as the Senior Player of the Year. He finished his career with a rare accomplishment, earning All-NESCAC First Team honors in each of his four seasons with the Polar Bears and was also a four-time All-American.
NESCAC Player of the Year Andrew Peters from Middlebury came away with singles and doubles All-America plaudits and was joined by doubles partner Brantner Jones. Peters was the farthest individual from the NESCAC to advance in the NCAA singles tournament, reaching the quarterfinals.
After claiming All-America in doubles play a year ago, Trinity junior Anson McCook added singles All-America honors this spring. Joining McCook on the All-America singles squad were sophomores Matt Bettles of Bates and Felix Sun of Williams. Bettles was also singled out as the ITA Player to Watch in the Northeast region.
Eleven of the 12 honorees earned All-NESCAC in some fashion this year. Of those 11, all but one was named to the All-Conference First Team.
In order to be recognized by the ITA as All-America, a player must meet the following criteria: singles players must be a top eight seed in the NCAA singles tournament, or win one round at the NCAA singles tournament, or finish in the top 20 in the final ITA rankings, or win the ITA Fall Regional tournament, or win first-round match at the ITA National Small College Championships; doulbes players must be among the top four seeds in the NCAA doubles tournament, or win one round at the NCAA doubles tournament, or finish in the top 10 in the final ITA rankings, or win ITA Fall Regional tournament, or win a first round match at the ITA National Small College Championships.
