TAMPA, Fla. — Coastal Georgia's Adrian Farina, a senior from Galicia, Spain, has been selected by league coaches as The Sun Conference’s Champion of Character for 2020 in the sport of men’s tennis.
The NAIA has long supported its Champions of Character program and its membership annually recognizes individuals from each sport for their growth and commitment to the core values of integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship and servant leadership. The Sun Conference awards one athlete in each sport and the honoree is selected in a vote of that sport’s coaches following nominations from each school.
In making his nomination, Coastal Georgia head men’s tennis coach Zack Rogers noted Farina’s exceptional qualities, both on and off the tennis court.
“On the court, Adrian is honest to a fault, making a new friend(s) with each and every match,” said Rogers. “He truly values the relationships that have been fostered through competing within The Sun Conference. He is an ambassador for our school, our conference and the NAIA. The way he has carried himself both in and out of competition during his time at Coastal Georgia exemplifies the five core values of the NAIA's Champions of Character program.”
Farina, a business administration major, will graduate this spring and is expected to finish with a grade-point average above 3.85. He earned a 4.0 GPA this past fall and in several other semesters during his time at CCGA. Farina volunteers as a tutor on campus and works with a program called "the Attic" through the CCGA library where he works with students one-on-one in finance, financial accounting, and statistics.
From a public service standpoint, Farina has worked with the Safe Harbor home for children, providing mentoring to the residents who have participated in volunteer tennis clinics and play days. During his time at Coastal Georgia, Farina has also worked in a number of Glynn County elementary schools in after-school programs designed to introduce area youth to the game of tennis. This year he also participated in the "Walk a Mile in Her Shoes" event where men walk a mile in red high heel shoes to bring awareness to domestic violence and other acts of violence against women.
Farina was honored to receive this prestigious award.
“Ever since I started my college career, I felt lucky to be able to study while doing what makes me really happy,” said Farina. “During these years I have been trying to project some positive energy into the community, my team and my opponents. This honor means a lot to me because I believe that at the end of the day it’s about having a positive impact on the people that you encounter along the way.”
Farina is also a two-time Sun Conference All-Academic award winner.