SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Elon’s Cameron Silverman has been named the Southern Conference Men’s Tennis Player of the Year as the league announced its postseason awards Monday (April 14).  Furman’s Adam Steryous was named the conference’s Freshman of the Year while Wofford’s Walker Heffron earned the league’s Don Bunch/Buddy Hartsell Sportsmanship Award.  Elon’s Michael Leonard was named Coach of the Year.  Postseason balloting was conducted by the league’s head coaches who were not allowed to vote for their own student-athletes.

Silverman becomes the first player since College of Charleston’s Or Dekel (2006, 2007) to repeat as the conference’s Player of the Year.  Silverman joins Dekel (2004, 2006, 2007), ETSU’s Yasser Zaatini (1990, 1992, 1993), Davidson’s Jon Pastel (1996, 1997) and UNCG’s Orcun Seyrek (2009, 2012) as the only five student-athletes to win the league’s top award multiple times in their career.

Silverman was 14-5 at No. 1 singles in dual matches this spring, including a perfect 9-0 record in SoCon matches.  Ten of his 14 wins were straight-sets victories this spring and he closed the year winning 11 of his final 13 matches.  Silverman also earned a spot in the all-conference first team for the third consecutive season.

Leonard repeated as Coach of the Year as he guided the Phoenix to a 16-4 mark during the spring, along with a 9-0 record in Southern Conference matches.  It is the fifth time Leonard has been honored by his peers as the Coach of the Year, after having won the award in 2006, 2007, 2011 and 2013.

Furman’s Steryous becomes just the third Paladin, and the first since Eric Ward in 2001, to be named the league’s Freshman of the Year.  After starting the season at the No. 3 singles spot, Steryous moved up to the No. 2 position and ultimately took over Furman’s No. 1 singles slot where he posted a record of 7-5.  Originally from Taylors, S.C., Steryous went 14-7 overall this spring and was 7-2 in league play. 

Heffron is the first Terrier to win the Don Bunch/Buddy Hartsell Sportsmanship Award.  The junior from Charleston, S.C., was 8-11 overall in singles play this spring, including a 4-5 mark in conference matches.  Heffron was 11-9 in doubles play this spring, competing at the No. 2 position. 

Elon placed two individuals on the all-conference first team as Silverman was joined by Stefan Fortmann.  In addition to being named the league’s top freshman, Steryous also garnered a spot on the all-conference first team.  UNCG’s Ahmet Sarioglu was named first team all-conference for the second consecutive season.  He was joined by Georgia Southern’s Oliver Webb and Samford’s Elliot Barnwell. 

Appalachian State’s Sebastein King and Zach Bost were named first team all-conference in doubles competition for the second straight year as they went 12-5 in doubles play, including a 7-2 mark in league matches.  Silverman and Jordan Kaufman of Elon were named first team all-conference, along with Furman’s team of Matt Browne and Joel Cook. 

Second team all-conference selections are made based on position. Elon placed three individuals on the second team as Robert Lindgren (No. 3), Brian Kowalski (No. 4) and Jordan Kaufman (No. 5) were all named second team all-conference.  Wofford’s Rob Galloway earned the nod at the top position, while Samford’s Fares Kilani was tabbed at No. 2 singles.  Furman’s Ben Horst was named second team all-conference at the No. 6 spot. 

UNCG’s team of James Dougherty and Randy Phillips was tabbed second team all-conference at No. 1 doubles.  They were joined on the second team by Appalachian State’s Casey and Hoang (No. 2), and Elon’s Fortmann and Juan Madrid at No. 3.

Steryous secured a spot on the all-freshman team, where he was joined by Appalachian State’s Oliver Casey, Daniel Houng and Jack Maddocks.  Samford’s Liam Sullivan and Wofford’s Poric were chosen for the all-freshman squad.

The 2014 Southern Conference Men’s and Women’s Tennis Championships begin Wednesday (April 16) in Chattanooga, Tenn.

2014 SoCon Men’s Tennis Postseason Awards

First Team
Singles
Stefan Fortmann, Elon
Cameron Silverman, Elon
Adam Steryous, Furman
Oliver Webb, Georgia Southern
Ahmet Sarioglu, UNCG
Elliot Barnwell, Samford

Doubles
Zach Bost/Sebastien King, Appalachian State
Cameron Silverman/Jordan Kaufman, Elon
Matt Browne/Joel Cook, Furman

Second Team
Singles (by position)
No. 1 – Rob Galloway, Wofford
No. 2 – Fares Kilani, Samford
No. 3 – Robert Lindgren, Elon
No. 4 – Brian Kowalski, Elon
No. 5 – Jordan Kaufman, Elon
No. 6 – Ben Horst, Furman

Doubles (by position)
No. 1 – James Dougherty/Randy Phillips, UNCG
No. 2 – Oliver Casey/Daniel Hoang, Appalachian State
No. 3 – Stefan Fortmann/Juan Madrid, Elon