TAMPA, Fla. – The Sun Conference announces its major award winners for the 2023-24 men's tennis season.
Keiser's Soufiane El Mesbahi earns this year's Player of the Year honor. The senior from Tangier, Morocco is currently ranked No. 1 in the NAIA after going undefeated in non-conference and conference this spring. The team of Mesbahi and Didrik Liljekvist are named the Doubles Team of the Year after going 7-0 in conference play this season. The pair have played #1 doubles all season and are currently ranked No. 11 nationally.
Piero Fernandez of Southeastern is this year's Freshman of the Year. Fernandez lost just one singles match in league play this year and is also currently ranked No. 22 nationally in doubles.
Coastal Georgia's Felix Arroyo Viglino is the Champion of Character award recipient. Arroyo Viglino has served as a peer tutor in "The Attic" at CCGA for mathematics, tutoring student-athletes from almost every team on campus. He also volunteers his time to help work sporting events and has worked with student-rec on campus. During his time at CCGA, Arroyo Viglino has served on the Student Athlete Leadership Team (S.A.L.T.) and is currently deciding between schools to pursue his graduate degree in mathematics and data analytics. Arroyo Viglino is an Academic All-American and an Academic All-Sun Conference honoree.
Southeastern Head Coach Drew Dickens is the 2024 Coach of the Year. Dickens, in his fifth year at the helm, has helped the Fire to a 17-5 overall record and a conference record of 6-1. Last season, Dickens took the men's team to the NAIA National Quarterfinals and the women's squad to the NAIA National Semifinals. Looking to make a run again this year, the men are the two seed in this year's SUN Tournament Championship and ranked No. 6 nationally while the women are the three seed in the upcoming Championship and ranked No. 3 nationally.
2023-24 Sun Conference Men's Tennis Postseason Award Winners
Player of the Year
Soufiane El Mesbahi, Keiser
Doubles Team of the Year
Didrik Liljekvist & Soufiane El Mesbahi, Keiser
Freshman of the Year
Piero Fernandez, Southeastern
Champion of Character
Felix Arroyo Viglino, Coastal Georgia
Coach of the Year
Drew Dickens, Southeastern
Click here to see the full list of this year's 14 All-Conference honorees.
Click here for more information on the 2024 Sun Conference Men's Tennis Championship.
ABOUT THE SUN CONFERENCE
Now entering its 34th year, The Sun Conference, a 501c3 organization, continues to be one of the most successful intercollegiate athletic conferences in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Under the guidance of Commissioner Dustin Wilke, the league sponsors championships in 24 NAIA sports. Learn more at thesunconference.com
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