Dave Balogh and Brooke Austin were two of the five ITA Regional Award winners announced on Monday afternoon.
Florida Women’s Tennis Garners Five ITA Regional Awards
Monday, May 9, 2016 | Women's Tennis
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The awards continue to roll in for the No. 1-ranked University of Florida women's tennis team as Associate Head Coach Dave Balogh and four players earned ITA Regional Awards, the ITA announced on Monday afternoon.
Balogh in his 16th season at the University of Florida was named the ITA Southeast Regional Assistant Coach of the Year for the fifth time in his career (2002, 2006, 2010, 2012, 2016). The Gainesville, Fla. native has helped guide the Florida Gators to three NCAA Titles, 12 SEC Regular Season Championships, 10 SEC Tournament Titles and eight undefeated SEC regular seasons.
Austin, the two-time and reigning SEC Player of the Year, earned the ITA Southeast Region Player to Watch award to add to a long list of accolades in her young career. The No. 4-ranked singles player in the nation was named the ITA Southeast Region Rookie of the Year in 2015. After another SEC Player of the Year nod, Austin is one of four players in SEC history to win the award in back-to-back seasons, along with Gator great, Lauren Embree. The honor is Florida's first since now-senior Brianna Morgan won the award in 2014.
Last season's ITA/Arthur Ashe Leadership and Sportsmanship Award winner, Kourtney Keegan, was once again named the winner of this prestigious award.
Next year's president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Keegan has amassed a 13-4 dual match singles record to pair with a 19-4 dual match doubles record, which place Keegan and doubles partner Austin as the No. 3 doubles pair in the nation. The Arthur Ashe award recognizes outstanding individuals in all divisions at the regional and national level and is given to players who have exhibited outstanding sportsmanship and leadership as well as scholastic, extracurricular and tennis achievements.
Newcomer to the Florida tennis program, Anna Danilina, garnered the ITA Southeast Region Rookie of the Year award. Teammates Keegan and Austin each won the award before Danilina and this is the third consecutive year a Florida Gator has received this honor. A Second Team All-SEC selection, Danilina has been a force on the tennis courts in her first season accomplishing a 19-1 dual match singles record and an 11-1 dual match doubles record.
Senior Brianna Morgan was named the ITA Southeast Region Most Improved Player (Senior) award winner. Morgan was also named the SEC Tournament MVP, Second Team All-SEC and clinched the Gators' SEC Regular Season and Tournament Championships on court three over the Georgia Bulldogs. Morgan is the second Florida Gator to win this award after Olivia Janowicz grabbed the national award in 2014.
The Orange and Blue will begin NCAA Tournament play on Friday at 2 p.m. when they take on the South Carolina State Bulldogs in the NCAA Tennis First Round. The match will be played the Ring Tennis Complex.
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Balogh in his 16th season at the University of Florida was named the ITA Southeast Regional Assistant Coach of the Year for the fifth time in his career (2002, 2006, 2010, 2012, 2016). The Gainesville, Fla. native has helped guide the Florida Gators to three NCAA Titles, 12 SEC Regular Season Championships, 10 SEC Tournament Titles and eight undefeated SEC regular seasons.
Austin, the two-time and reigning SEC Player of the Year, earned the ITA Southeast Region Player to Watch award to add to a long list of accolades in her young career. The No. 4-ranked singles player in the nation was named the ITA Southeast Region Rookie of the Year in 2015. After another SEC Player of the Year nod, Austin is one of four players in SEC history to win the award in back-to-back seasons, along with Gator great, Lauren Embree. The honor is Florida's first since now-senior Brianna Morgan won the award in 2014.
Last season's ITA/Arthur Ashe Leadership and Sportsmanship Award winner, Kourtney Keegan, was once again named the winner of this prestigious award.
Next year's president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Keegan has amassed a 13-4 dual match singles record to pair with a 19-4 dual match doubles record, which place Keegan and doubles partner Austin as the No. 3 doubles pair in the nation. The Arthur Ashe award recognizes outstanding individuals in all divisions at the regional and national level and is given to players who have exhibited outstanding sportsmanship and leadership as well as scholastic, extracurricular and tennis achievements.
Newcomer to the Florida tennis program, Anna Danilina, garnered the ITA Southeast Region Rookie of the Year award. Teammates Keegan and Austin each won the award before Danilina and this is the third consecutive year a Florida Gator has received this honor. A Second Team All-SEC selection, Danilina has been a force on the tennis courts in her first season accomplishing a 19-1 dual match singles record and an 11-1 dual match doubles record.
Senior Brianna Morgan was named the ITA Southeast Region Most Improved Player (Senior) award winner. Morgan was also named the SEC Tournament MVP, Second Team All-SEC and clinched the Gators' SEC Regular Season and Tournament Championships on court three over the Georgia Bulldogs. Morgan is the second Florida Gator to win this award after Olivia Janowicz grabbed the national award in 2014.
The Orange and Blue will begin NCAA Tournament play on Friday at 2 p.m. when they take on the South Carolina State Bulldogs in the NCAA Tennis First Round. The match will be played the Ring Tennis Complex.
Follow the Gators:
FloridaGators.com
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