SPARTANBURG, S.C. – With the Southern Conference releasing its men’s tennis postseason awards today, April 14, the Elon University men’s tennis team has been honored with multiple awards, including Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, five singles players being named to the first- or second-team all-Southern Conference and two doubles pairings earning first- or second-team all-SoCon.
Cameron Silverman was named the conference’s Player of the Year for the second year in a row. The senior finished the regular season with a 14-5 record, all from the No. 1 singles spot, while going a perfect 9-0 in SoCon action and is ranked No. 35 in the country going into this week’s SoCon Tournament in Chattanooga, Tenn.
With the award, Silverman became the first player in the conference to win Player of the Year in back-to-back years since College of Charleston’s Or Dekel did it in 2006 and 2007. He also becomes just the fifth player to win the honor multiple times. Silverman was also named to the first-team all-SoCon singles team and the first-team all-SoCon doubles team with partner Jordan Kaufman.
Also for the second year in a row, Michael Leonard has been named the conference’s Coach of the Year. It is the fifth time in his 10-year career at Elon in which he’s won the honor and second time he’s won it in back-to-back seasons. Leonard led the Phoenix to a 16-4 over record and a perfect 9-0 mark in conference play. It’s the second time in Leonard’s career at the school in which the Phoenix have gone undefeated in SoCon play, as Elon went 9-0 in 2007 on the way to a NCAA Tournament berth.
Joining Silverman on the first-team all-conference is Stefan Fortmann. The junior has been honored as the SoCon Player of the Year twice this season, as well as winning Player of the Month for all matches played throughout the month of March. Fortmann also made second-team all-SoCon in doubles with Juan Madrid. Fortmann was first-team all-SoCon in doubles last season with Silverman. Madrid made the second-team all-SoCon last season with Kaufman.
Kaufman, Robert Lindgren and Brian Kowalski were each selected to the second-team all-SoCon for their efforts this season. These selections were made based on position, as Lindgren earned the No. 3 spot, Kowalski the No. 4 spot and Kaufman the No. 5 spot.
Elon will travel to Chattanooga, Tenn. this week as the No. 1 seed for the Southern Conference Tournament. The Phoenix will play in the quarterfinals Thursday, April 17, at 8:30 a.m. against the winner of No. 8 Davidson and No. 9 Chattanooga, which will be played Wednesday, April 16, at 10 a.m.
2014 SoCon Men’s Tennis Postseason Awards
First Team
Singles
Stefan Fortmann, Elon
Cameron Silverman, Elon
Adam Steryous, Furman
Oliver Webb, Georgia Southern
Ahmet Sarioglu, UNCG
Elliot Barnwell, Samford
Doubles
Zach Bost/Sebastien King, Appalachian State
Cameron Silverman/Jordan Kaufman, Elon
Matt Browne/Joel Cook, Furman
Second Team
Singles (by position)
No. 1 – Rob Galloway, Wofford
No. 2 – Fares Kilani, Samford
No. 3 – Robert Lindgren, Elon
No. 4 – Brian Kowalski, Elon
No. 5 – Jordan Kaufman, Elon
No. 6 – Ben Horst, Furman
Doubles (by position)
No. 1 – James Dougherty/Randy Phillips, UNCG
No. 2 – Oliver Casey/Daniel Hoang, Appalachian State
No. 3 – Stefan Fortmann/Juan Madrid, Elon
All-Freshman
Oliver Casey, Appalachian State
Daniel Hoang, Appalachian State
Jack Maddocks, Appalachian State
Adam Steryous, Furman
Liam Sullivan, Samford
Haris Poric, Wofford
Player of the Year
Cameron Silverman, Elon
Freshman of the Year
Adam Steryous, Furman
Don Bunch/Buddy Hartsell Sportsmanship Award
Walker Heffron, Wofford
Coach of the Year
Michael Leonard, Elon