Jubb, Rodrigues Collect ITA Regional Honors
COLUMBIA, S.C.- South Carolina men’s tennis collected a pair of ITA Carolina Region awards, the Intercollegiate Tennis Association announced on Saturday. Junior Paul Jubb earned the region’s Arthur Ashe Jr. Leadership & Sportsmanship Award for his balance of athletics, academics and character. Freshman Daniel Rodrigues was named the region’s Rookie of the Year.
Putting together one of the best seasons in Gamecock men’s tennis history, Jubb enters the NCAA Singles Championship next week as the No. 5 player in the nation behind a 32-4 record that includes a school-record 17 wins over nationally ranked opponents. He was a First-Team All-SEC selection after posting a school-record 11 SEC wins at the No. 1 spot in the singles lineup – more than any other Gamecock has amassed in that position in a career. His 11-4 SEC record set the school record for SEC winning percentage at .916, and he is among the program’s top three in three other single-season rankings.
Jubb is the fourth Gamecock to earn the Carolina Region Arthur Ashe Jr. Leadership and Sportsmanship Award and the first since 1999 (Olof Akesson). The regional winners of this award are now in contention for the ITA/Rafael Osuna National Award, which will be announced on Sunday. He would be the second Gamecock to capture that award after Chris Mayotte in 1979.
Rodrigues is the highest ranked freshman in the Carolina Region, coming in at No. 83 in the nation in singles, which made him the second-highest ranked freshman in the SEC as well. The All-SEC First-Team and SEC All-Freshman Team selection went 32-11 on the season, including an 18-8 dual-match record playing mostly in the No. 2 position. His 32 overall singles wins were the second-most by a a freshman in South Carolina men’s tennis history.
Including Rodrigues, four Gamecocks have earned Carolina Region Rookie of the Year honors with Andrew Adams being the most recent in 2012. Rodrigues is now eligible for ITA National Rookie of the Year recognition, which will be announced on Sunday. He would be just the second Gamecock to claim that award, joining Vladmimir Pavicevic (1998).
For men’s tennis updates, continue to check back with GamecocksOnline.com or follow the team on social media (@GamecockMTennis).
2019 ITA Carolina Region Awards
Coach of the Year: Tony Bresky, Wake Forest
Assistant Coach of the Year: Cris James, NC State
Arthur Ashe Jr. Leadership & Sportsmanship Award: Paul Jubb, South Carolina
Rookie of the Year: Daniel Rodrigues, South Carolina
Player to Watch: Alexis Galarneau, NC State
Most Improved Senior: Igor Saveljic, NC State
Senior Player of the Year: Petros Chrysocho, Wake Forest
Community Service Award: UNC Wilmington
