COLLEGE STATION – Following Texas A&M women's tennis' appearance in the Round of 16 head coach Mark Weaver, assistant coach Jordan Szabo and freshman Katya Townsend garnered ITA Texas region honors, announced Saturday morning.
Weaver was named the Wilson/ITA Coach of the Year, Szabo earned ITA Assistant Coach of the Year honors and Townsend garnered ITA Player to Watch status in the Texas region. The Aggies claimed three of the six awards in Texas, the most by any school. ITA national awards are scheduled to be announced Sunday, regional award winners are eligible to earn national awards.
"This is a well-deserved award for both Katya [Townsend] and Jordan [Szabo]," Weaver said. "Katya has had an excellent start to her career and I know that with her work ethic and desire she will no doubt continue to get better and better. As far as coach Szabo, I could not be any happier with the job that he is doing for our program. I am quite sure that he is the hardest worker assistant in the country and we are lucky to have him working at Texas A&M."
Weaver and Szabo led the Aggies to a seven win improvement from last season, including a fifth place finish in the SEC after the league's coaches tabbed them for ninth in the preseason. The Maroon & White were the youngest team in the country, comprised of three sophomores and five freshman. The Aggies picked up several impressive wins this season including wins over No. 4 Vanderbilt, at No. 9 Texas in the NCAA Second Round, No. 18 Tennessee and No. 21 Kentucky. Weaver and Szabo recruited the No. 2 recruiting class last season.
"Mark [Weaver] is very deserving of this honor," Szabo said. "Mark has done a great job of teaching, leading and guiding a team full of underclassmen. The success this young team has had this season would not have been possible without him at the helm."
Townsend earned a 24-9 record this season including seven wins over ranked opponents, playing primarily on court one as a freshman. The Coconut Creek, Florida native earned All-SEC Second Team and All-Freshman Team honors this spring and is slated to represent the Aggies in the upcoming NCAA Singles Championships. The right-hander made A&M history this spring as she earned the highest ranked win by a freshman in program history by defeating No. 3 Fernanda Contreras of Vanderbilt
Visit 12thMan.com for more information on Texas A&M women's tennis. Aggie fans also can keep up to date with the A&M women's tennis team on Twitter or Instagram by following @AggieWTEN or on Facebook at Facebook.com/AggieWTEN.
2019 Division I Texas Regional Award Winners
Wilson/ITA Coach of the Year
Mark Weaver; Texas A&M
ITA Assistant Coach of the Year
Jordan Szabo; Texas A&M
ITA Rookie of the Year
Ellie Douglas; TCU
ITA Player to Watch
Katya Townsend; Texas A&M
ITA Most Improved Senior
Felicity Maltby; Texas Tech
ITA Senior Player of the Year
Felicity Maltby; Texas Tech
Additional Quotes
Lucia Quiterio, Texas A&M Freshman
"Mark and Jordan together are the perfect balance for our team, they have the energy and the knowledge that help us improve every day that we step on the court. I love to play for both of them."
Renee McBryde, Texas A&M Freshman
"Mark and Jordan both bring such great attributes to our team and their unique coaching styles have helped shape such a strong and balanced team this year, which has definitely helped with all of our success."
Riley McQuaid, Texas A&M Sophomore
"Mark and Jordan are the most deserving coaches for these awards. They care so much about us on and off the court and I feel so fortunate to play for them. I've learned and grown so much from them in my first two years in Aggieland. They are going to take this program to amazing places and I feel so lucky to be a part of it."
Weaver was named the Wilson/ITA Coach of the Year, Szabo earned ITA Assistant Coach of the Year honors and Townsend garnered ITA Player to Watch status in the Texas region. The Aggies claimed three of the six awards in Texas, the most by any school. ITA national awards are scheduled to be announced Sunday, regional award winners are eligible to earn national awards.
"This is a well-deserved award for both Katya [Townsend] and Jordan [Szabo]," Weaver said. "Katya has had an excellent start to her career and I know that with her work ethic and desire she will no doubt continue to get better and better. As far as coach Szabo, I could not be any happier with the job that he is doing for our program. I am quite sure that he is the hardest worker assistant in the country and we are lucky to have him working at Texas A&M."
Weaver and Szabo led the Aggies to a seven win improvement from last season, including a fifth place finish in the SEC after the league's coaches tabbed them for ninth in the preseason. The Maroon & White were the youngest team in the country, comprised of three sophomores and five freshman. The Aggies picked up several impressive wins this season including wins over No. 4 Vanderbilt, at No. 9 Texas in the NCAA Second Round, No. 18 Tennessee and No. 21 Kentucky. Weaver and Szabo recruited the No. 2 recruiting class last season.
"Mark [Weaver] is very deserving of this honor," Szabo said. "Mark has done a great job of teaching, leading and guiding a team full of underclassmen. The success this young team has had this season would not have been possible without him at the helm."
Townsend earned a 24-9 record this season including seven wins over ranked opponents, playing primarily on court one as a freshman. The Coconut Creek, Florida native earned All-SEC Second Team and All-Freshman Team honors this spring and is slated to represent the Aggies in the upcoming NCAA Singles Championships. The right-hander made A&M history this spring as she earned the highest ranked win by a freshman in program history by defeating No. 3 Fernanda Contreras of Vanderbilt
Visit 12thMan.com for more information on Texas A&M women's tennis. Aggie fans also can keep up to date with the A&M women's tennis team on Twitter or Instagram by following @AggieWTEN or on Facebook at Facebook.com/AggieWTEN.
2019 Division I Texas Regional Award Winners
Wilson/ITA Coach of the Year
Mark Weaver; Texas A&M
ITA Assistant Coach of the Year
Jordan Szabo; Texas A&M
ITA Rookie of the Year
Ellie Douglas; TCU
ITA Player to Watch
Katya Townsend; Texas A&M
ITA Most Improved Senior
Felicity Maltby; Texas Tech
ITA Senior Player of the Year
Felicity Maltby; Texas Tech
Additional Quotes
Lucia Quiterio, Texas A&M Freshman
"Mark and Jordan together are the perfect balance for our team, they have the energy and the knowledge that help us improve every day that we step on the court. I love to play for both of them."
Renee McBryde, Texas A&M Freshman
"Mark and Jordan both bring such great attributes to our team and their unique coaching styles have helped shape such a strong and balanced team this year, which has definitely helped with all of our success."
Riley McQuaid, Texas A&M Sophomore
"Mark and Jordan are the most deserving coaches for these awards. They care so much about us on and off the court and I feel so fortunate to play for them. I've learned and grown so much from them in my first two years in Aggieland. They are going to take this program to amazing places and I feel so lucky to be a part of it."