University of Georgia Athletics
Diaz, Quinn Headline Bulldogs’ SEC Awards
April 27, 2023 | Men's Tennis
ATHENS, Ga. – The University of Georgia was well represented in the Southeastern Conference annual awards, highlighted by Ethan Quinn earning SEC Freshman of the Year honors and head coach Manny Diaz being awarded SEC Coach of the Year for the seventh time in his storied career. In total, five Bulldogs were recognized for seven SEC honors.
Redshirt seniors Trent Bryde and Philip Henning as well as Quinn were named to the All-SEC First Team, while redshirt senior Blake Croyder earned a spot on the All-SEC Second Team. In addition to his Freshman of the Year award, Quinn was also named to the All-SEC Freshman Team. Diaz has previously won conference Coach of the Year in 1989, 1995, 2001, 2006, 2007 and 2017.
"This is a tremendous recognition for all of these guys who have put in a lot of work," said Coach Diaz. "They have shown incredible focus throughout our spring season and done a great job of playing for one another. I'm very proud of this group."
Coach Diaz led Georgia to a 20-5 regular season record and 12-0 in conference play, marking the 16th time the program finished with an unblemished SEC schedule. During the Bulldogs' run to their 32nd SEC regular season title, Diaz's team won 10 of their 12 matches by at least a two-match margin, including four sweeps. After finishing the season on a 13-match win streak, Georgia entered the postseason 18-5, its best win percentage heading into the SEC Tournament (.783 percent) since 2016 (.857 percent).
Quinn earned spots on the All-SEC First Team, All-SEC Freshman Team and becomes the third player in program history to earn freshman of the year honors. A five-time SEC Player of the Week, Quinn finished the season with a 23-10 record in singles, including a team-best 15 ranked wins and went 10-1 against SEC competition. The Fresno, Calif. native began the spring ranked as the No. 1 singles player in the nation and has not left the top five since. Quinn is the only freshman in the nation to rank in the top 10 of both doubles and singles, currently ranking No. 3 in singles and No. 5 in doubles with partner Bryde. The two led the team in dual match wins with 12 this season, eight of which came against ranked competition, including wins against No. 1 and No. 5 tandems in the country.
Bryde earns his second All-SEC honors and first on the First Team. The Suwannee native won nine of his 14 regular season singles matches in straight sets and went 8-1 in SEC action. He primarily played on court three this season, where he finished 10-5, which ranks within the top five in the conference from the position. He also won the fifth-most doubles matches on court one with 12 in the conference with partner Quinn. The redshirt senior was also named an Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-American twice in both singles and doubles.
For the second straight year, Henning was named to the All-SEC First Team after finishing the conference slate as the only player to go undefeated with a minimum of two matches. The Bloemfontein, South Africa native ended the regular season on a 10-match win streak in singles and a team-best dual match winning percentage of .789 percent with a 15-4 record. The redshirt senior reached his 100thcareer singles win on April 15 in the team's match against Ole Miss, where he clinched the match. The three-time All-SEC winner reached a career-best singles ranking of No. 8 on February 8 this season.
Croyder earned his first All-SEC nod with a spot on the second team. The redshirt senior was tied for the most singles wins on the team with 25 and was one of three Bulldogs to finish the season on a six-match win streak. He finished the spring 16-6, going 10-3 in his last 13 match results. In doubles, Croyder played with Johnston on court three and clinched the doubles point seven times, including in the first two rounds of the SEC Championship.
Georgia will now await to hear its regional assignment for the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament, which will be announced Monday, May 1 at 6:30 p.m. ET. The Bulldogs finished as the 2023 regular season champions and in the finals of the SEC Championship this past weekend at Auburn, Ala.
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Bulldogs by following UGA Men's Tennis on social media on Twitter and Instagram @UGATennis, on Facebook @UGAMensTennis, and online at GeorgiaDogs.com.
Redshirt seniors Trent Bryde and Philip Henning as well as Quinn were named to the All-SEC First Team, while redshirt senior Blake Croyder earned a spot on the All-SEC Second Team. In addition to his Freshman of the Year award, Quinn was also named to the All-SEC Freshman Team. Diaz has previously won conference Coach of the Year in 1989, 1995, 2001, 2006, 2007 and 2017.
"This is a tremendous recognition for all of these guys who have put in a lot of work," said Coach Diaz. "They have shown incredible focus throughout our spring season and done a great job of playing for one another. I'm very proud of this group."
Coach Diaz led Georgia to a 20-5 regular season record and 12-0 in conference play, marking the 16th time the program finished with an unblemished SEC schedule. During the Bulldogs' run to their 32nd SEC regular season title, Diaz's team won 10 of their 12 matches by at least a two-match margin, including four sweeps. After finishing the season on a 13-match win streak, Georgia entered the postseason 18-5, its best win percentage heading into the SEC Tournament (.783 percent) since 2016 (.857 percent).
Quinn earned spots on the All-SEC First Team, All-SEC Freshman Team and becomes the third player in program history to earn freshman of the year honors. A five-time SEC Player of the Week, Quinn finished the season with a 23-10 record in singles, including a team-best 15 ranked wins and went 10-1 against SEC competition. The Fresno, Calif. native began the spring ranked as the No. 1 singles player in the nation and has not left the top five since. Quinn is the only freshman in the nation to rank in the top 10 of both doubles and singles, currently ranking No. 3 in singles and No. 5 in doubles with partner Bryde. The two led the team in dual match wins with 12 this season, eight of which came against ranked competition, including wins against No. 1 and No. 5 tandems in the country.
Bryde earns his second All-SEC honors and first on the First Team. The Suwannee native won nine of his 14 regular season singles matches in straight sets and went 8-1 in SEC action. He primarily played on court three this season, where he finished 10-5, which ranks within the top five in the conference from the position. He also won the fifth-most doubles matches on court one with 12 in the conference with partner Quinn. The redshirt senior was also named an Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-American twice in both singles and doubles.
For the second straight year, Henning was named to the All-SEC First Team after finishing the conference slate as the only player to go undefeated with a minimum of two matches. The Bloemfontein, South Africa native ended the regular season on a 10-match win streak in singles and a team-best dual match winning percentage of .789 percent with a 15-4 record. The redshirt senior reached his 100thcareer singles win on April 15 in the team's match against Ole Miss, where he clinched the match. The three-time All-SEC winner reached a career-best singles ranking of No. 8 on February 8 this season.
Croyder earned his first All-SEC nod with a spot on the second team. The redshirt senior was tied for the most singles wins on the team with 25 and was one of three Bulldogs to finish the season on a six-match win streak. He finished the spring 16-6, going 10-3 in his last 13 match results. In doubles, Croyder played with Johnston on court three and clinched the doubles point seven times, including in the first two rounds of the SEC Championship.
Georgia will now await to hear its regional assignment for the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament, which will be announced Monday, May 1 at 6:30 p.m. ET. The Bulldogs finished as the 2023 regular season champions and in the finals of the SEC Championship this past weekend at Auburn, Ala.
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Bulldogs by following UGA Men's Tennis on social media on Twitter and Instagram @UGATennis, on Facebook @UGAMensTennis, and online at GeorgiaDogs.com.
Players Mentioned
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