Diaz, Struck named ITA regional Player to Watch, Coach of the Year

TEMPE, ARIZ. – On the eve of the opening day of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Men's Tennis National Championship, The Intercollegiate Tennis Association has revealed its regional award winners for the NAIA level. The collegiate tennis governing body named Alexis Diaz the winner of the ITA Player to Watch and Alex Struck the ITA Coach of the Year for the central region.

Diaz went 27-5 in singles play and 21-9 in doubles so far this season, with at least one more contest to play. The junior from Bassens, France, is on a double-digit win streak in singles play, and earned all-conference honors in singles and doubles matches this season.

 Struck, who won regional coach of the year honors with the women last season, led Morningside to a single-loss regular season, compiling a 22-1 record with wins against NAIA and National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I, Division II, and Division III opponents. He led the Mustangs to their second-consecutive national tournament appearance, collecting back-to-back Great Plains Athletic Conference regular season and tournament titles and back-to-back GPAC Coach of the Year honors.

Both Struck and Diaz move on to the national level of awards, with recipients announced by the ITA tomorrow.