SPARTANBURG, S.C. ? UNC Greensboro freshman Orcun Seyrek became the first men’s tennis player in Southern Conference history to win both the league Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year Awards in the same season as the league announced its postseason awards Thursday (April 23). Seyrek garnered both awards in all-conference balloting done by the league’s head coaches who were not allowed to vote for their own team members. Furman’s Bo Ladyman was named the recipient of the Don Bunch/Buddy Hartsell Sportsmanship Award, while Furman’s Paul Scarpa earned his second consecutive Coach of the Year Award.
Scarpa led the Paladins to a mark of 19-7 this spring, including an unblemished mark of 10-0 in conference play. It is the ninth time he has earned the Coach of the Year Award. He became the all-time wins leader in Division I men’s tennis with a 6-1 victory over Yale on March 6. Scarpa now has 832 wins in 46 years as a collegiate head coach.
Ladyman earned the Sportsmanship Award for the second consecutive season. He finished the regular season 18-6 in singles competition during the spring and was 9-1 in conference play.
Seyrek finished the spring season 19-2 at No. 1 singles for the Spartans, including a 9-1 record in league play. Regular season champion Furman placed Andy Juc and Bo Ladyman on the conference’s first team. Juc is ranked No. 109 in the latest ITA rankings, while Ladyman posted an 18-6 record in singles play this spring. Elon’s Damon Gooch, the Southern Conference’s highest-rated player in the ITA Rankings at No. 82, garnered first team honors for the fourth consecutive season. Appalachian State’s Bobby Lake and Chattanooga’s Peter Sauska also made first team all-conference.
Elon’s team of Gooch and Philip Nemec, which ranked No. 33 in the latest ITA doubles rankings, were named to the first team all-conference for doubles play. They were joined by Furman’s top team of Juc and Ladyman. Georgia Southern’s Joris De Weerdt and Matthew Sands made up the third doubles pair.
Second team all-conference selections were awarded based on position. Furman’s Daniel Knause, Chris Motes and Sawyer Duncan were named second team all-conference. Wofford also placed multiple nominees on the second team with Tinus van Wyk and Alan Donald. The Citadel’s Yufo Sutantio was named second team all-conference at the No. 1 singles position, while UNC Greensboro’s Andrey Bubnov eanred the nod at No. 2 singles. Elon’s Alberto Rojas was named second team all-conference at No. 5 singles with Donald.
Chattanooga’s team of Sauska and Pavel Vostrikov were tabbed the No. 1 doubles team, while Elon’s Chase Helpingstine and Carlin Murray earned the honor at No. 2 doubles. Furman’s Andrei Chvetsov and Jordan Walters were named second team all-conference at No. 3 doubles.
Seyrek led a group of six individuals who comprise the league’s inaugural all-freshman team. College of Charleston’s Tom Delme and Mickael Trintignac were also honored on the all-freshman team, along with Wofford’s Danny Manlow and Tinus van Wyk. Samford’s Carson Kadi also garnered all-freshman plaudits.
The Elon Phoenix play host to the 2009 Southern Conference Women’s Tennis Championships this week at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center and the Burlington Tennis Center. Tournament action begins Thursday at 10:30 a.m.
2009 SoCon Men’s Tennis Postseason Awards
First Team
Singles
Bobby Lake, Appalachian State
Peter Sauska, Chattanooga
Damon Gooch, Elon
Andy Juc, Furman
Bo Ladyman, Furman
Orcun Seyrek, UNC Greensboro
Doubles
Damon Gooch/Philip Nemec, Elon
Andy Juc/Bo Ladyman, Furman
Joris De Weerdt/Matthew Sands, Georgia Southern
Second Team
Singles (by position)
No. 1 ? Yufo Sutantio, The Citadel
No. 2 ? Andrey Bubnov, UNCG
No. 3 ? Daniel Knause, Furman
No. 4 ? Chris Motes, Furman
Tinus van Wyk, Wofford
No. 5 ? Alberto Rojas, Elon
Alan Donald, Wofford
No. 6 ? Sawyer Duncan, Furman
Doubles (by position)
No. 1 ? Peter Sauska/Pavel Vostrikov, Chattanooga
No. 2 ? Chase Helpingstine/Carlin Murray, Elon
No. 3 ? Andrei Chvetsov/Jordan Walters, Furman
All-Freshman
Tom Delme, College of Charleston
Mickael Trintignac, College of Charleston
Orcun Seyrek, UNC Greensboro
Carson Kadi, Samford
Danny Manlow, Wofford
Tinus van Wyk, Wofford
Player of the Year
Orcun Seyrek, UNC Greensboro
Freshman of the Year
Orcun Seyrek, UNC Greensboro
Don Bunch/Buddy Hartsell Sportsmanship Award
Bo Ladyman, Furman
Coach of the Year
Paul Scarpa, Furman