Eleven Big 12 tennis student-athletes and five league coaches have garnered regional honors from the Intercollegiate Tennis Association for the 2012 season.
Of the 17 total awards won, three went to Conference freshman who collected Rookie of the Year accolades. Big 12 Freshman of the Year Mate Zsiga (Baylor) picked up the award in the Texas Region, while the Most Outstanding Performer at the Big 12 Championship Dane Webb (Oklahoma) won the honor in the Central Region. On the women's side, Oklahoma State's Meghan Blevins was recognized with the distinction in the Central Region.
The ITA named Guillermo Alcorta (Oklahoma), Soren Hess-Olesen (Texas) and Samantha Adams (Texas Tech) as Players to Watch.
The Texas Region's Senior of the Year honor went to Texas A&M's Alexis Klegou on the men's side with Baylor's Diana Nakic
claiming the award for the women.
On the coaching front, John Roddick (Oklahoma) was awarded the Central Region's Wilson/ITA Coach of the Year honor after guiding the Sooners to a 19-4 record and their first Big 12 regular and postseason championships. In the Texas Region, the Big 12 swept both the men's and women's coaching awards. Texas Tech claimed both the Wilson/ITA Coach of the Year accolade and the Assistant Coach of the Year distinction as Tim Siegel and Marcelo Ferreira were honored, respectively. The Red Raiders finished 16-9 in 2012 with a second place finish in the Big 12. On the women's side, Texas Tech's Todd Petty led the Lady Raiders to the program's first conference championship and now he has been named the Wilson/ITA Coach of the Year. Alison Ojeda (Baylor) took home the Assistant Coach of the Year distinction.
Three individuals garnered four sportsmanship accolades. Gonzalo Escobar (Texas Tech) tallied the Aruthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship Award, while being named a nominee for the ITA/Rafael Osuna Sportsmanship Award. Baylor's Sona Novakova won the Arthur Ashe award on the women's side, and Aeriel Ellis (Texas) earned the Cissie Leary Award for Sportsmanship.
2012 NCAA Division I Men's ITA Regional Awards
Central Region
Wilson/ITA Coach of the Year: John Roddick, Oklahoma
Player to Watch: Guillermo Alcorta, Oklahoma
Rookie of the Year: Dane Webb, Oklahoma
Texas Region
Wilson/ITA Coach of the Year: Tim Siegel, Texas Tech
Assistant Coach of the Year: Marcelo Ferreira, Texas Tech
Arthur Ashe Leaderhsip & Sportsmanship Award: Gonzalo Escobar, Texas Tech
Senior of the Year: Alexis Klegou, Texas A&M
Player to Watch: Soren Hess-Olesen, Texas
Rookie of the Year: Mate Zsiga, Baylor
ITA/Rafael Osuna Sportsmanship Award: Gonzalo Escobar, Texas Tech
2011 NCAA Division I Women's ITA Regional Awards
Central Region:
Rookie of the Year: Meghan Blevins, Oklahoma State
Texas Region:
Wilson/ITA Coach of the Year: Todd Petty, Texas Tech
Assistant Coach of the Year: Alison Ojeda, Baylor
Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship Award: Sona Novakova, Baylor
Senior of the Year: Diana Nakic, Baylor
Player to Watch: Samantha Adams, Texas Tech
Cissie Leary Award for Sportsmanship: Aeriel Ellis, Texas