April 20, 2006
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Old Dominion newcomer, Harel Srugo (Kibutz Gazit, Israel), was selected as the 2006 Colonial Athletic Association co-men's tennis Players of the Year and Rookie of the Year by a committee of the league's head coaches on the eve of the CAA Men's Tennis Tournament.
Srugo had a sensational 2005-06 campaign, compiling a 23-6 overall singles mark. He owns wins over four ranked foes and is #30 in the nation in the latest ITA national rankings. Srugo is also 17-4 in doubles this season, including a 16-2 record with partner Aleksandr Seleznev. The duo is #51 in the most recent ITA rankings.
Srugo shares the award with VCU's Arnaud Lecloerec, who earned the award for the second straight season after posting a 23-8 overall singles record. Ranked #16 in the nation by the ITA, the has posted nine victories over ranked opponents this season. He has also excelled in doubles with a 14-7 overall mark. He and partner Petr Olsak are #49 in the latest ITA rankings.
Joining Srugo on the All-CAA first team in singles were teammate sophomore Eidy Igarashi (Sao Jose do Rio Prieto, Brazil), in singles, and freshman Aleksandr Seleznev (Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic) in doubles. Igarashi, ranked #107 in the ITA Poll and last season's Rookie of the Year, posted a 23-11 overall record including a 12-7 mark at No. 3 single this season.
Junior Henrique Cancado (Belo Horizonte, Brazil) and Seleznev earned second team singles honors while the doubles team of Cancado and Igarashi were named to the second team doubles squad. Cancado played his way to a 25-8 overall mark, including a 19-4 dual meet record, while Seleznev earned a 22-6 overall record in his first season with the Monarchs. Cancado and Igarashi teamed for a 17-8 overall record and were featured in the ITA during the early part of the season.
The awards were presented Thursday night prior to the quarterfinals of the 2006 CAA Men's Tennis Championship, which resumes Friday morning at the Huntington Park Tennis Center in Newport News. The tournament runs through Sunday, with the men's championship set for 10 a.m. on April 23.
2006 ALL-CAA MEN'S TENNIS TEAM
First Team
Singles
Arnaud Lecloerec, VCUJr.Plouhinec, France
Harel Srugo, Old DominionFr.Kibutz Gazit, Israel
Martin Stiegwardt, Georgia StateJr.Quito, Ecuador
Eidy Igarashi, Old DominionSo.Sao Jose do Rio Prieto, Brazil
Colin O'Brien, William & MaryJr.Dublin, Ireland
Alex Israel, VCUSo.Marseille, France
Doubles
Arnaud Lecloerec, VCUJr.Plouhinec, FrancePetr Olsak, VCU
Jr.Novy Jicin, Czech Republic
Harel Srugo, Old DominionFr.Kibutz Gazit, Israel
Aleksandr Seleznev, Old DominionFr.Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic
Martin Stiegwardt, Georgia StateJr.Quito, Ecuador
Anze Cevka, Georgia StateSo.Kamnik, Slovenia
Second Team
SinglesNikola Djordjevic, HofstraSr.Belgrade, Serbia
Caio Piacentini, UNC WilmingtonJr.Sao Paolo, Brazil
Henrique Cancado, Old DominionJr.Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Stephen Ward, William & MarySr.Douglaston, N.Y.
Sergi Arumi, VCUJr.Barcelona, Spain
Aleksandr Seleznev, Old DominionFr.Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic
Doubles
Alex Cojanu, William & MarySo.Hallandale, Fla.
Billy Mulligan, William & MaryFr.Miami, Fla.
Henrique Cancado, Old DominionJr.Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Eidy Igarashi, Old DominionSo.Sao Jose do Rio Prieto, Brazil
Francesc Lleal, VCUSr.Barcelona, Spain
Sergi Arumi, VCUJr.Barcelona, Spain
Third Team
Singles
Alex Cojanu, William & MarySo.Hallandale, Fla.
Petr Olsak, VCUJr.Novy Jicin, Czech Republic
Francesc Lleal, VCUSr.Barcelona, Spain
Jesse Tarr, James MadisonSo.Midlothian, Va.
Damien Lancombe, VCUSo.Perigueux, France
Nejc Podkrajsek, Georgia StateFr.Zalec, Slovenia
Doubles
Jesse Tarr, James MadisonSo.Midlothian, Va.
John Snead, James MadisonSr.Richmond, Va.
Dennis Myers, UNC WilmingtonJr.Charlotte, N.C.
Grant Holland, UNC WilmingtonJr.Charlotte, N.C.
Nikola Djordjevic, HofstraSr.Belgrade, Serbia
Luka Djordjevic, HofstraSo.Belgrade, Serbia
2006 CAA Co-PLAYERS OF THE YEAR:Arnaud Lecloerec, VCU, Harel Srugo, Old Dominion
2006 CAA ROOKIE OF THE YEAR:Harel Srugo, Old Dominion
2006 CAA COACH OF THE YEAR:Paul Kostin, VCU