Pate, Mertz Earn All-SEC Honors
4/18/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
TUSCALOOSA, Ala.- The University of Alabama men's tennis head coach Billy Pate and junior Billy Mertz received All-SEC honors announced the league office today. Pate was voted Co-Coach of the year, tying with Manual Diaz of Georgia, and Mertz earned All-SEC second team honors.
Billy Pate is in his fifth season at the Capstone and this is the first time Pate has been named Coach of the Year for the SEC. During his time at Alabama, Coach Pate has led his squad to the NCAA tournament three times, with a trip to the Sweet Sixteen in 2003.
This year Pate's squad got off to its best start since 2003 with a 10-2 record. The squad has also received recognition because of its dominating doubles play throughout the season. The Tide has earned the doubles point in 22 out of 25 matches and the No. 1 tandem of Dan Buikema and Mathieu Thibaudeau hold a No. 26 national ranking. Coach Pate also has two players that currently hold national rankings in No. 92 Joseph Jung and No. 76 Billy Mertz. Thibaudeau also debuted in the rankings this year at No. 121.
Billy Mertz, a junior from Silver Spring, Md., picked up his first conference award today as he was named to the All-SEC second team. Mertz leads the team in singles victories with 25 and currently holds a No. 76 national ranking after debuting at No. 86. Mertz finished with an 8-3 singles record, tying Thibaudeau for the most conference victories on the team, and a 6-1 doubles record. Mertz and doubles partner Javier Bes held a perfect 6-0 doubles record before the season finale with Auburn.
The Tide will travel to Baton Rouge, La. today as they get ready for the conference tournament. The No. 16 ranked Crimson Tide faces No. 60 South Carolina Thursday at 8:00 am.
-UA-
Co-Coaches of the Year: Billy Pate, Alabama / Manual Diaz, Georgia
Player of the Year: John Isner, Georgia
Freshman of the Year: Jesse Levine, Florida
Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Kevin Dessauer, LSU
First Team
Blake Strode, ARK
Robbert Lathouwers, AU
Jesse Levine, UF
Greg Ouellette, UF
John Isner, UG
Luis Flores, UG
Travis Helgeson, UG
Ken Skupski, LSU
Danny Bryan, LSU
Erling Tveit, UM
Robbye Poole, UM
Philipe Frayssinoux, MSU
Kaden Hensel, UT
Second Team
Nestor Briceno, UF
Matic Omerzel, UG
Nate Schnugg, UG
Jamie Hunt, UG
Kalle Norberg, UM
Jonas Berg, UM
Kevin Dessauer, LSU
Ivan Bjelica, MSU
Davey Sandgren, UT
Billy Mertz, UA
Ryan Preston, VU
Bruno Agostinelli, UK
