April 19, 2011

Carson-Newman's Slagle garners second team All-SAC men's tennis honors

ROCK HILL, S.C. — Carson-Newman senior Trent Slagle (Knoxville, Tenn.) has been named second team All-South Atlantic Conference for men's tennis, league officials announced Tuesday.

Slagle, who took over at No. 1 singles and also played No. 1 doubles for the Eagles this season, earns second team honors for a second straight year. Slagle was also a standout off the court with a 3.92 GPA in accounting.

Lincoln Memorial University sophomore Philipp Hoffmann, who went undefeated in conference play at No. 1 singles, and Brevard College freshman Sam MacNeil, who was also undefeated in conference play, were named Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year, respectively.

Hoffmann went 9-0 at No. 1 singles for the Railsplitters, and is 16-1 overall on the season, to earn Player of the Year honors. With partner Tom Goossens, they went 8-1 at No. 1 doubles and 14-3 overall. Hoffmann, the 2010 SAC Freshman of the Year, has won 11 consecutive matches and is 35-2 in singles play during his career.

MacNeil, a freshman from Dunfermline, Scotland, played No. 2 singles, where he went 9-0 in conference play and 14-4 overall, and was named Freshman of the Year. He also had an 8-1 conference record in doubles play, and was 13-6 overall, including a 12-3 record with Cole Altizer.

Wingate University head coach Michael Cabana, who guided the Bulldogs to an undefeated conference record and Wingate's second conference championship in three years, was named Coach of the Year. He wins this award for the second time in his career.

Anderson, Brevard and Wingate led the way with three All-Conference selections each.

Wingate placed all three on the first team.

Wingate University's Braeden Patchell was the recipient of the Scholar-Athlete Award for men's tennis. Patchell is a senior majoring in biology, with minors in chemistry and psychology, and carries a 3.724 GPA. He has been named to the Wingate University Dean's List, President's List and is a three-time ITA scholar-athlete.

Patchell is a three-time All-Conference selection and has a career singles record of 46-25, including a 27-5 record against conference opponents.

As a service to his community, Patchell volunteers at a local hospital and a cardiac rehabilitation program. He reads to geriatric patients, helps with meal distribution and assists nurses with general housekeeping. Among his duties at the YMCA Cardiac Rehab program, Patchell assists doctors and nurses with taking patients blood pressures before rehab sessions. He monitors and records patients' progress during various cardio exercises, and assists patients in measuring and recording heart rates during exercise. He has also volunteered with Habitat for Humanity on three projects.

The South Atlantic Conference Scholar-Athlete Award recognizes one student-athlete in each of its 14 sports programs and represents a combination of athletic skill, academic achievement and participation in community service and leadership. The award is selected by the league's Faculty Athletic Representatives.

2011 SOUTH ATLANTIC CONFERENCE
MEN'S TENNIS ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
First Team
Stan Atema, Anderson
Scott McCormick, Brevard
Sam MacNeil, Brevard
Philipp Hoffmann, Lincoln Memorial
Vinicius Botelho, Newberry
Matthew Lichtenstein, Wingate
Drew Owen, Wingate
Flavio Rathsam, Wingate

Second Team
Deni Mehagic, Anderson
Daniel Gonzalez, Anderson
Beau Wills, Brevard
Trent Slagle, Carson-Newman
Thomas Mitchell, Catawba
Tommy Brennan, Lenoir-Rhyne
Lucas Simm, Mars Hill
Michael Saunders, Newberry

Player of the Year – Philipp Hoffmann, Lincoln Memorial
Freshman of the Year – Sam MacNeil, Brevard
Coach of the Year – Michael Cabana, Wingate
Scholar-Athlete – Braeden Patchell, Wingate