Da Silva, Daryabeigi Earn ITA Carolina Region Awards
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina men’s tennis players Lucas da Silva and Sean Daryabeigi were recognized by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association with regional awards, the organization announced on Tuesday. Da Silva was named the ITA Carolina Region Senior Player of the Year and earned the Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship Award, while Daryabeigi was selected as the ITA Carolina Region Most Improved Player.
Da Silva caps off one of the most accomplished careers in Gamecock program history with a pair of regional honors. The senior served as a team captain and delivered a standout final season, earning First Team All-SEC recognition after collecting Second Team All-SEC honors in 2025.
Ranked inside the nation’s top 20 in singles and top 10 in doubles for the entirety of conference play, da Silva posted a 20-8 overall singles record and a 19-7 doubles mark during the 2025-26 campaign. Playing exclusively from the No. 1 singles position, he compiled a 13-4 dual-match record and went 10-2 against nationally ranked opponents, highlighted by two victories over the nation’s No. 3 player. He also recorded an 11-2 singles record from February through the end of the season.
In doubles, da Silva went 11-4 in dual matches at the No. 1 position and earned eight victories over nationally ranked teams, including four wins against top-25 opponents during the dual-match season.
Over the course of his career, da Silva amassed 84 singles victories and 70 doubles wins while earning Doubles All-America honors in 2025 and Singles and Doubles All-America recognition in 2026.
The Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship Award recognizes student-athletes who excel in tennis, academics and community service. Da Silva has been a two-time SEC Academic Honor Roll selection and has consistently dedicated time to serving others. He participated in South Carolina’s annual Day of Service and South Carolina Tennis Community Day events and spends his summers volunteering in Brazil, helping teach and mentor young tennis players.
Daryabeigi’s selection as the region’s Most Improved Player follows a breakthrough junior campaign that saw him emerge as one of the Carolina’s top competitors in both singles and doubles. In the ITA overall rankings, he reached as high as No. 40 in singles and No. 24 in doubles. He finished the season ranked No. 11 in singles and No. 8 in doubles in the Carolina Region.
The Gamecock earned Doubles All-America honors after making a run to the NCAA Individual Championships Quarterfinals alongside Max Stenzer. Daryabeigi finished the season with an 18-14 singles record and a 27-12 doubles mark. Competing primarily in the top half of the lineup, the rising senior recorded several signature victories, including a singles win over the nation’s No. 14 player and a doubles victory against the No. 17-ranked duo.
