Utah Men, Women Tennis Earn ITA Awards
Jun 6, 2022, 3:14 PM
(Photo courtesy of the University of Utah)
(Photo courtesy of the University of Utah)
SALT LAKE CITY- Utah’s men and women’s tennis teams earned Intercollegiate Tennis Association awards Monday afternoon. The men and women both brought home the ITA Mountain Region Coach of the Year and Assistant Coach of the Year Awards.
Bringing home the Awards!🏆
Congrats to the @ITA_Tennis Mountain Regional Head Coach and Assistant Coach of the Year!
📰➡ https://t.co/64xaa72GPt#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/97aXJn1cck
— Utah Tennis (@UtahTennis) June 6, 2022
Roeland Brateanu and Sten van Beurden brought the awards home for the men’s team, while Ric Mortera and Blair Shankle brought it home for the women’s team.
High Honors
This is the fourth time Brateanu has been recognized as coach of the year for men’s tennis and van Beurden’s first time. On the women’s side, Mortera and Shankle’s recognition is the first in program history.
Coaching Awards coming to SLC🏆
For the first time in program history, we have the @ITA_Tennis Mountain Region Head Coach and Assistant Coach of the Year!
📰➡ https://t.co/c87DEzqyhD#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/he8WPOcWw1
— Utah Women's Tennis (@UteWomensTennis) June 6, 2022
The Wilson/ITA Coach of the year awards go to coaches and staff who has exhibited outstanding leadership that contributes to on and off-court team performance.
The Numbers
Utah men’s tennis finished the year with 21 victories- only the second time in program history the Utes have finished a season with 20+ wins. The Utah men also went undefeated in region play for the 2022 season and were ranked as high as #22 in the ITA Team ranking system. Utah earned a trip to the NCAA’s- their third visit in four season. The Utes finished fourth in Pac-12 play which is their highest since joining the conference in 2011.
The women went 15-11 on the season with a 9-0 start fast start- their best in program history. Utah’s women earned three ranked wins in the 2022 season including victories over #54 BYU, #21 USC, and #48 Arizona. Utah’s win over BYU was the 13th straight victory while their win over USC was their first ever as a program. Utah knocked off Arizona at the Pac-12 Championship for their first win in the championship since 2017.
