Ten NESCAC Men's Tennis Players Recognized as All-America by ITA

HADLEY, Mass. – Ten men's tennis players representing five different NESCAC institutions have been recognized by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) as All-America for the 2009-10 season. Four of the 10 came away with All-America honors for the second year in a row, and Middlebury senior Andrew Thomson capped an impressive doubles career with the Panthers with his fourth consecutive All-America honor.

Thomson teamed up with classmate Andrew Lee, the 2010 NESCAC Player of the Year, to win the ITA National Small College Doubles Championship back in October. Lee, who earned All-America status in 2008 for his singles play, garnered All-America this spring for both singles and doubles. He was one of three seniors from the Panthers' NCAA championship squad recognized by the ITA, as Andrew Peters joined his teammates with singles recognition. Middlebury went 23-2 this season, won its sixth NESCAC title in the last seven years, and claimed its second NCAA crown in program history.

Amherst joined Middlebury in having three individuals honored as All-America with sophomores Austin Chafetz and Robby Sorrell along with freshman Mark Kahan being recognized. Chafetz followed up a 2009 season in which he received NESCAC Rookie of the Year honors and All-America singles recognition with a 2010 campaign that earned him doubles All-America in addition to a second-straight singles nod. Chafetz reached the semifinals of the 2010 NCAA Men's Tennis Singles Tournament this year. The Lord Jeffs finished as the national runner-up for the second year in a row, as they fell to the Panthers in this year's NCAA title match. Chafetz was also honored by the ITA as the National Player to Watch, while Kahan was selected as the National Rookie of the Year.

Bowdoin junior Stephen Sullivan added his third All-America honor to an already impressive career with the Polar Bears. The three-time All-NESCAC First Team selection fell to Amherst's Chafetz in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Men's Tennis Singles Tournament.

Rounding out the players from the conference on the All-America squad were the Trinity tandem of  senior Spencer Feldman and sophomore Anson McCook along with Williams senior Nick Lebedoff. Feldman, honored as All-America in 2008 for his singles play, garnered All-America for the second time in his career alongside his doubles partner. Lebedoff was recognized for the second consecutive spring for his singles play.

All 10 individuals on the All-America team earned All-NESCAC honors in some form this season.

In order to be recognized by the ITA as All-America, a player must meet the following criteria: singles players must be a top eight seed in the NCAA singles tournament, or win one round at the NCAA singles tournament, or finish in the top 20 in the final ITA rankings, or win the ITA Fall Regional tournament, or win first-round match at the ITA National Small College Championships; doulbes players must be among the top four seeds in the NCAA doubles tournament, or win one round at the NCAA doubles tournament, or finish in the top 10 in the final ITA rankings, or win ITA Fall Regional tournament, or win a first round match at the ITA National Small College Championships.