TEMPE, Ariz. – The Texas A&M women's tennis team earned a program-record five postseason ITA Texas Regional Awards, the Intercollegiate Tennis Association announced Monday.
Â
Head coach Mark Weaver garnered the Wilson ITA Coach of the Year award, while his contemporary Jordan Szabo took home ITA Assistant Coach of the Year honors. Graduate Tatiana Makarova was named the region's ITA Senior Player of the Year and ITA Most Improved Senior, while junior Carson Branstine locked in ITA Rookie of the Year accolades.
Â
"Coach Szabo and I are extremely pleased with our program and all that we have accomplished this year," Weaver expressed. "We are both honored to be recognized as the ITA Texas Region Coaches of the Year. I am very, very fortunate to have Jordan working alongside me each and every day. I also want to issue congratulations to both Tatiana and Carson for their awards as well. Tatiana has grown so much in her time at Texas A&M, and she will be dearly missed. As for Carson, now that she has her first season under her belt, I see her elevating her game to another level next year. It has been an incredible season for the Aggies, and I could not be more proud of this group."
Â
Weaver secured the program's fourth Wilson ITA Coach of the Year accolade while booking the second of his career at A&M. The seventh-year skipper led the Maroon & White to a program-best 33-2 season in 2022 in addition to the second-deepest NCAA tournament run in program history after advancing to the national quarterfinals. Weaver became the first Aggie coach to win a conference regular season and tournament title in the same year, also becoming the first coach to win 30 matches in a single season. Weaver was named SEC Coach of the Year earlier this season following the team's perfect 16-0 ledger against league foes. A&M's leading man previously took home the award following the Aggies 2019 season that featured a Sweet 16 finish in addition to a 24-8 overall record.
Â
Szabo locked in the sixth ITA Assistant Coach of the Year award in program history and the second of his career, assisting Weaver throughout the course of A&M's historic 2022 run. As the program's recruiting coordinator, Szabo played an instrumental role in building a pair of top-two nationally-ranked signing classes in 2018 and 2021 that culminated in Texas A&M's record-setting dual match campaign. Since joining the team prior to the 2018 dual match season, Szabo has amassed a 108-33 overall record and has coached three individuals to a total of six ITA All-America designations.
Â
Makarova became A&M's ninth ITA Senior Player of the Year and earned the program's first ITA Most Improved Senior award. The Moscow, Russia, native amassed a 32-4 overall singles record with a 36-7 mark in doubles play. One of the most productive players in program history, Makarova overcame a 5-10 freshman campaign to finish with the third-most singles victories in the Aggie record book with 105. Additionally, Makarova finishes as the second-winningest doubles athlete in A&M annals, totaling 111 wins during her five seasons in the Brazos Valley.
Â
Branstine joins Aggie legend Saska Gavrilovska as one of two ITA Rookie of the Year winners in school history. The Orange, California, native completed her first collegiate season with a 17-win effort in singles in the 2022 dual match season, boasting 14 ranked victories in that span all at the top of the singles lineup. Branstine's 21-3 overall doubles record stands as the highest doubles winning percentage in a single season by any Aggie, topping the leaderboard by winning at a .875 clip.
Â
FOLLOW THE AGGIES
Visit 12thman.com for more information on Texas A&M women's tennis. Fans can keep up to date with the A&M women's tennis team on Facebook, Instagram, and on Twitter by following @AggieWTEN.
Â
Head coach Mark Weaver garnered the Wilson ITA Coach of the Year award, while his contemporary Jordan Szabo took home ITA Assistant Coach of the Year honors. Graduate Tatiana Makarova was named the region's ITA Senior Player of the Year and ITA Most Improved Senior, while junior Carson Branstine locked in ITA Rookie of the Year accolades.
Â
"Coach Szabo and I are extremely pleased with our program and all that we have accomplished this year," Weaver expressed. "We are both honored to be recognized as the ITA Texas Region Coaches of the Year. I am very, very fortunate to have Jordan working alongside me each and every day. I also want to issue congratulations to both Tatiana and Carson for their awards as well. Tatiana has grown so much in her time at Texas A&M, and she will be dearly missed. As for Carson, now that she has her first season under her belt, I see her elevating her game to another level next year. It has been an incredible season for the Aggies, and I could not be more proud of this group."
Â
Weaver secured the program's fourth Wilson ITA Coach of the Year accolade while booking the second of his career at A&M. The seventh-year skipper led the Maroon & White to a program-best 33-2 season in 2022 in addition to the second-deepest NCAA tournament run in program history after advancing to the national quarterfinals. Weaver became the first Aggie coach to win a conference regular season and tournament title in the same year, also becoming the first coach to win 30 matches in a single season. Weaver was named SEC Coach of the Year earlier this season following the team's perfect 16-0 ledger against league foes. A&M's leading man previously took home the award following the Aggies 2019 season that featured a Sweet 16 finish in addition to a 24-8 overall record.
Â
Szabo locked in the sixth ITA Assistant Coach of the Year award in program history and the second of his career, assisting Weaver throughout the course of A&M's historic 2022 run. As the program's recruiting coordinator, Szabo played an instrumental role in building a pair of top-two nationally-ranked signing classes in 2018 and 2021 that culminated in Texas A&M's record-setting dual match campaign. Since joining the team prior to the 2018 dual match season, Szabo has amassed a 108-33 overall record and has coached three individuals to a total of six ITA All-America designations.
Â
Makarova became A&M's ninth ITA Senior Player of the Year and earned the program's first ITA Most Improved Senior award. The Moscow, Russia, native amassed a 32-4 overall singles record with a 36-7 mark in doubles play. One of the most productive players in program history, Makarova overcame a 5-10 freshman campaign to finish with the third-most singles victories in the Aggie record book with 105. Additionally, Makarova finishes as the second-winningest doubles athlete in A&M annals, totaling 111 wins during her five seasons in the Brazos Valley.
Â
Branstine joins Aggie legend Saska Gavrilovska as one of two ITA Rookie of the Year winners in school history. The Orange, California, native completed her first collegiate season with a 17-win effort in singles in the 2022 dual match season, boasting 14 ranked victories in that span all at the top of the singles lineup. Branstine's 21-3 overall doubles record stands as the highest doubles winning percentage in a single season by any Aggie, topping the leaderboard by winning at a .875 clip.
Â
FOLLOW THE AGGIES
Visit 12thman.com for more information on Texas A&M women's tennis. Fans can keep up to date with the A&M women's tennis team on Facebook, Instagram, and on Twitter by following @AggieWTEN.