May 4, 2017
THE FLATS – Georgia Tech men’s tennis head coach Kenny Thorne was named ACC Coach of the Year and junior Christopher Eubanks was named ACC Player of the Year as announced by the conference office on Thursday. Sophomore Andrew Li was named All-ACC Third Team.
Thorne earns the honor for the second time; he also received the accolade in 1999. In his 19th year at the helm of the Georgia Tech men’s tennis program, Thorne led the Tech to its most successful season since 2011. The squad went 10 games over .500, boasting a 17-7 overall record with an 8-4 mark in ACC play.
Tech entered the ITA team rankings in February following the ITA Kickoff Weekend and remained there all season, climbing as high as No. 12. The Jackets earned the fourth seed at the ACC Championship, advancing to the semifinal match. The Jackets return to the NCAA tournament for the third-straight year.
Eubanks takes back-to-back ACC Player of the Year honors. He is the fifth in ACC history to win the honor in consecutive years and the first in Georgia Tech history to do so. The Atlanta native carries a 27-5 overall record and a 17-2 ledger in dual match play. Cemented at the No. 1 spot in the Tech lineup, the 6-foot-7 All-American took ACC Player of the Week honors twice this season.
He has been ranked in the top 10 among singles players since April 2016 and this year he reached as high as No. 4. The junior makes his return to the NCAA singles championship for the third-straight year as the No. 7 seed.
Li earns All-ACC honors for the first time in his career with All-ACC Third Team honors. The sophomore brought the heat in doubles this season, posting an 18-8 record overall and a 10-2 record in dual match play. Holding down the No. 2 spot in the lineup for the Jackets, Li boasts a 20-13 record overall in singles and a 10-7 mark in dual matches.
The Jackets will play Minnesota in the NCAA Regional in Gainesville, Fla. on May 12.
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