University of Georgia Athletics
Isner, Helgeson Honored With ITA Regional Awards
May 15, 2007 | Men's Tennis
“I am very proud of John and Travis,” said Georgia head coach Manuel Diaz. “They are both very deserving of these awards. For John, this caps a great four-year career that showed he is one of the best players ever to come through our program and I believe he is in the upper-echelon with some of the best players ever to play collegiate tennis. Fore Travis this award is another stepping stone toward what I believe will be a phenomenal senior year for him next year. He had a fantastic season this year and it is especially meaningful for him and for us when other coaches around the region think as highly of him as I do.”
Including fall tournament play, Isner has posted an overall record of 37-4 (.902) so far this season. He began the year ranked No. 1 in doubles with partner Luis Flores (Xalapa, Mexico) and reached the No. 1 singles ranking on March 6, where he has remained ever since. Isner is the No. 1 seed in both the upcoming NCAA Singles and NCAA Doubles national championship tournaments. His efforts at the top of the lineup led the Bulldogs to their second straight ITA Team Indoor National Championships, second consecutive SEC regular-season and SEC Tournament championships and second straight undefeated regular season.
The only player ever to be named a two-time SEC Player of the Year, Isner needs just two more singles wins to tie Al Parker as the all-time winningest singles player in Georgia history with 138 career victories. With his win in the second round of this year’s NCAA Tournament, he tied Mikael Pernfors for second place all-time with 136 wins. Isner is already the all-time winningest doubles player in UGA annals, earning that distinction earlier this year as he and Flores captured both the ITA All-American Doubles Championship and the ITA National Indoor Doubles Championship.
Helgeson has posted rock-solid numbers of his own playing at the No. 2 and No. 3 spots in the Georgia lineup. Currently ranked No. 12 nationally, he reached a ranking as high as No. 9 earlier this season. Helgeson is also ranked No. 16 in doubles with partner Matic Omerzel. A first-team All-SEC honoree, Helgeson has posted an overall record of 32-5 with an 18-2 mark in dual matches. In January he won the SEC Coaches Indoor Singles Championship, defeating No. 1-ranked teammate Isner to win the title. Helgeson also clinched Georgia’s regular-season SEC Championship-winning match over Ole Miss.
Helgeson has now been named an ITA Regional Player To Watch two years in a row. He received the honor for the South Central region in 2006 as a member of the Texas Longhorns. Isner is also a former Regional and National Player To Watch, taking that award in 2005.
Isner, Helgeson and the rest of the Bulldogs will square off against SEC rival Florida in Athens on Thursday in the Round of 16 of the 2007 NCAA Men’s Tennis Tournament. Georgia will hosting the Men’s and Women’s national championships May 17-28 in Athens at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex.
