April 30, 2009

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – South Carolina junior Diego Cubas has been named to the All-SEC Second Team, as announced by the conference office on Thursday. Cubas is currently ranked No. 54 in the nation and owns a 20-14 singles record entering NCAA competition. The award is the first such of his career.

Cubas is ranked No. 54 in the nation this week with a career-best 20-14 singles record. Routinely facing an opponent ranked among the country’s top 50, he has posted a 9-13 dual-match record, including a win over then-No. 2 Bruno Agostinelli of Kentucky. In doubles, Cubas teams with Gamecock freshman Ivan Machado to form the nation’s No. 24-ranked duo. Playing in the Gamecocks’ No. 1 slot, the tandem is 15-10 on the season, including a 13-9 record in dual matches. They have defeated six opponents ranked among the country’s top 40, including the then-No. 1 duo from Wake Forest.

Ole Miss head coach Billy Chadwick was named SEC Coach of the Year, LSU’s Michael Venus garnered SEC Player of the Year honors, Florida’s Carlos Cueto was named SEC Freshman of the Year, while Arkansas’ Blake Strode was named Scholar-Athlete of the Year. A tie in first-team, second-team and All-Freshman team voting added an additional player to each.

A complete list of the awards follows.

All-SEC First Team
Saketh Myneni, Alabama
Blake Strode, Arkansas
Carlos Cueto, Florida
Alex Lacroix, Florida
Jamie Hunt, Georgia
Nate Schnugg, Georgia
Bruno Agostinelli, Kentucky
Michael Venus, LSU
Jonas Berg, Ole Miss
Kalle Norberg, Ole Miss
Bram ten berge, Ole Miss
Matteo Fago, Tennessee
John-Patrick Smith, Tennessee

All-SEC Second Team
Mathieu Thibaudeau, Alabama
Alexey Tsyrenov, Auburn
Tim Puetz, Auburn
Antoine Benneteau, Florida
Javier Garrapiz, Georgia
Josh Varela, Georgia
Eric Quigley, Kentucky
Neal Skupski, LSU
Devin Britton, Ole Miss
Otto Sauer, Ole Miss
Ryan Farlow, Mississippi State
Diego Cubas, South Carolina
Boris Conkic, Tennessee

All-Freshman Team
Alex Stamchev, Auburn
Carlos Cueto, Florida
Eric Quigley, Kentucky
Neal Skupski, LSU
Devin Britton, Ole Miss
Artem Ilyushin, Mississippi State