May 20, 2013

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina men’s tennis continued to receive accolades for its outstanding 2013 season as head coach Josh Goffi earned Wilson/ITA Carolina Region Coach of the Year honors and sophomore Andrew Adams was tabbed as the region’s Player to Watch. A former region assistant coach of the year, Goffi adds this award to his SEC Coach of the Year selection this season. This is the second regional award for Adams, who was last season’s Carolina Region Rookie of the Year.

In just his third season as a head coach, Goffi has built the Gamecocks back into a national competitor. After signing the program’s first ranked recruiting class in 2011, he guided the group, ranked third in the nation as a class, into a team that closed the regular season ranked 17th in the nation. The 2013 Gamecocks posted a program-record seven SEC victories to finish tied for third in the league, the highest South Carolina finish since joining the league in 1991-92. Closing the campaign with an 18-11 overall record, this season’s team won more matches than any since the 2005 squad netted 20 en route to a spot in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16.

Adams followed up his Carolina Region Rookie of the Year freshman season with a 13-11 overall record and a No. 80 national ranking this season. The Second-Team All-SEC selection was slowed by injuries early and played through a lingering condition throughout the season but still was among the most productive Gamecocks in SEC action. Playing in the No. 2 spot in the order, he won five league matches among his 10 total dual-match singles victories. In late March, he also joined the doubles lineup, teaming with Thiago Pinheiro to win their first six dual matches and finishing the season 7-2 overall and a perfect 5-0 in SEC play.

South Carolina returns six of its seven letterwinners next season, including Adams’ fellow All-SEC Second Team honorees Tsvetan Mihov and Pinheiro.

Wilson/ITA Carolina Region Awards

Coach of the Year – Josh Goffi, South Carolina
Assistant Coach of the Year – Jonathan Stokke, Duke
Arthur Ashe Leadership and Sportsmanship Award – Henrique Cunha, Duke
Senior of the Year – Henrique Cunha, Duke
Player to Watch – Andrew Adams, South Carolina
Rookie of the Year – Michael Redlicki, Duke