Alabama’s Edson Ortiz Repeats at the SEC Men’s Tennis Scholar-Athlete of the Year
4/20/2021 4:53:00 PM | Men's Tennis
The Crimson Tide graduate student is the second member of the men’s tennis program to earn the academic honor in back-to-back seasons
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Alabama's Edson Ortiz was voted the Southeastern Conference Men's Tennis Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the second year in a row, the conference office announced Tuesday.
Ortiz, who earned the honor via a vote by the league's coaches, also brought home the honor in 2020. The Chihuahua, Mexico, native has continued to excel at the highest levels both in the classroom and on the court.
Ortiz graduated with a 3.75 GPA in human performance exercise science and maintains a 4.0 GPA while pursuing a master's degree in sports hospitality. A four-year ITA Scholar-Athlete and member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll, he has also been named to the SEC Men's Tennis Community Service Team.
Now in his fifth season, Ortiz came back from an injury in the fall to play No. 1 for the Crimson Tide, posting a pair of top-55 singles opponents to lead Alabama over No. 15 Mississippi State and at No. 9 Ole Miss. The 2020 ITA Southern Region Most Improved Senior, he is a two-year All-SEC performer who has advanced to the NCAA Tournament in doubles during his career.
Overall, Ortiz has notched 83 singles and 59 doubles wins at the Capstone.
Alabama Head Coach George Husack Said
"It is a tremendous honor for Edson to be recognized again by the conference coaches for his dedication and commitment to being the very best student-athlete between the baselines and beyond. His personal standard was quickly put in place when he arrived here as a freshman and has continued through his undergraduate and unique graduate years. While this super-senior season has presented challenges by way of injuries in the summer and fall, as well as medical testing, limitations and protocol, Edson has taken the bull by the horns and made an indelible impact to our program."
SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year
- Edson Ortiz is the third Alabama student-athlete to earn SEC Men's Tennis Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors, joining Saketh Myneni and Daniil Proskura
- Ortiz is the second UA men's tennis player to earn the coveted honor twice in a career, joining Proskura (2013 and 2014)
- Ortiz, Myneni and Proskura have combined to tally five honors since the award came into existence during the 2002-03 season
- Overall, Crimson Tide student-athletes from 13 different teams have earned SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year for their respective sports a conference-best 61 times since the honor's inception, tallying more than a dozen better than the next closest school
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