Four Bulldogs Earn ITA Southeast Regional Awards

ATHENS, Ga. – The Georgia women's tennis team was well represented in the 2024 ITA Division I Women's Regional Awards with two coaches and two Bulldogs earning honors, the Intercollegiate Tennis Association announced on Wednesday.

Head coach Drake Bernstein headlined the Southeast Regional awards as he was named Wilson ITA Coach of the Year, marking the first of his career and the first in 10 seasons for the program since Jeff Wallace won the award in 2014. Under Bernstein, Georgia went 25-5 overall with a 12-1 record in Southeastern Conference regular season play. After starting 2-3 on the year, the Bulldogs bounced back in dominant fashion, winning 23 of their remaining 25 matches en route to winning their 12th SEC regular season title and 10th SEC Tournament title before making a run to the NCAA Tournament Final.

Associate head coach Jarryd Chaplin followed up as the recipient of ITA Southeast Regional Assistant Coach of the Year Award, marking his second-consecutive season and third overall year winning a regional assistant coaching honor. Chaplin was previously named ITA Ohio Valley Regional Assistant Coach of the Year in 2021 and 2023 at Tennessee. Chaplin's coaching impact focused intensely on doubles, where he was responsible for Georgia's significant improvement from last season to this season capped off by Dasha Vidmanova and Aysegul Mert winning the program's first NCAA doubles title in Stillwater.

As for the athlete honorees, Guillermina Grant earned the ITA Southeast Regional Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship Award, awarded to student-athletes who display leadership on and off the court while also attaining scholastic and extracurricular achievements. Grant, one of four veteran juniors to lead the Bulldogs in 2024, finished the season tied for the team-lead in combined wins (57). She also tallied the second-most singles wins on the season with 30 while finishing as one of four players with 25 or more doubles victories (27). A two-time SEC Player of the Week and All-SEC Second Team selection, Grant was instrumental on the court both in action and in helping lead her teammates.

Coming off a stellar freshman season in Athens, Aysegul Mert rounded out the awards for the Bulldogs as she was named 2024 ITA Southeast Regional Rookie of the Year. The Istanbul, Turkey native quickly became a primary option in doubles, pairing up with Vidmanova on court one to go 32-12 overall on the season. Posting 19 singles wins in the spring, Mert's first season in Athens came to a close in dominant fashion as her and Vidmanova's NCAA doubles title capped off a successful freshman campaign which saw her win five SEC Freshman of the Week honors as well as earn a spot on the SEC Freshman Team.

Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Bulldogs by following UGA Women's Tennis on X @UGAWomensTennis, on Instagram @UGAWomensTennis, and on Facebook @GeorgiaWomensTennis or check out information online at GeorgiaDogs.com.

University of Georgia Athletics

Players Mentioned

Guillermina Grant

Aysegul Mert

Dasha Vidmanova

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