May 27, 2009
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Texas A&M three-time All-American Conor Pollock (pronounced PAUL-luck), two-time All-American Austin Krajicek (pronounced CRY-check) and assistant coach and Hall of Famer Bob McKinley were honored as regional and national award winners by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA).
Pollock, a senior right-hander from San Antonio, Texas, closed out his four-year career in Aggieland as an All-Big 12 Conference selection three times in singles and two times in doubles. He was twice named Big 12 Player of the Week and three times as an Academic All-Big 12 First Team scholar. Pollock, who earned ITA South Central Region Rookie of the Year honors as a freshman in 2006, is only the third A&M player to ever earn regional Farnsworth/ITA Senior Player of the Year distinction next to two-time All-American Ryan Newport in 2003 and Carlos Tori in 1998. He was also the national and regional winner of the ITA/John Van Nostrand Memorial Award which is a stipend that is bestowed upon an outstanding senior men's player who plans to pursue a career on the professional tennis circuit after college. Pollock is one of the top eight American-born players in the collegiate tennis ranks and advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Singles Championships as one of the top 16-seeded players in the field.
Krajicek, a sophomore left-hander from Brandon, Fla., wrapped up another fine season for the Aggies with a team-leading 18-6 dual record playing primarily at No. 2 singles. He and doubles partner Conor Pollock also went 30-9 overall in doubles and reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Doubles Championships for the second year in a row. Additionally, Krajicek made his first NCAA Singles Championships appearance and was named All-Big 12 in singles and doubles for the second-straight year. He becomes only the second-ever Aggie to earn regional ITA Player to Watch honors next to four-time All-American Shuon Madden in 2000. The award is given to a player who has an outstanding season and is expected to perform at a high level the rest of his or her career. It also weighs merit to the player's sportsmanship and character. Krajicek was the lone collegian to compete in the 2008 U.S. Open main draw last fall.
McKinley, in his third season in Aggieland, was nominated for the regional ITA Assistant Coach of the Year Award by head coach Steve Denton and was instrumental in the Aggies' memorable 2009 season which included an impressive 17-9 overall record, a No. 11 national ranking, a second-place finish in the Big 12 regular-season standings, two top 10 upsets over eventual national champion USC and Illinois, the third-toughest schedule in the nation, a school-record three NCAA Singles Championships qualifiers, and the program's first NCAA Sweet 16 appearance since 2005. Denton praised McKinley's work ethic, his consistency, his reliability, his knowledge of the game and his vast experience of working with and molding young players. He holds the distinction of being the only college assistant tennis coach who has been inducted into the ITA Hall of Fame as a player and as a coach. In all, he is a member of three Hall of Fames including the Texas Tennis Hall of Fame and the St. Louis Tennis Hall of Fame. Prior to A&M, McKinley served as the head coach at Trinity University for 10 years as well as the director of the John Newcombe Tennis Academy for 12 years in San Antonio, Texas. On the professional circuit, he was a top 50-ranked singles player and top 50-ranked doubles player in the world.
2009 ITA National Men's Award Winners
ITA/John Van Nostrand Memorial Award - Conor Pollock, Texas A&M
2009 ITA South Central Region Men's Award Winners
ITA Assistant Coach of the Year - Bob McKinley, Texas A&M
Farnsworth/ITA Senior Player of the Year - Conor Pollock, Texas A&M
ITA Player to Watch - Austin Krajicek, Texas A&M
ITA/John Van Nostrand Memorial Award - Conor Pollock, Texas A&M