Bruno Savi Named GSC Player of the Year as Argos Receive Multiple GSC Honors

April 26, 2012

Derrick Racine Named GSC Coach of the Year as Andrey Pozhidaev is Named to All-GSC Team for the Fourth Time

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The No. 2-ranked and Gulf South Conference (GSC) Champion University of West Florida men’s tennis team placed four players on the 2012 All-GSC Men’s Tennis Team, the GSC announced this morning in Birmingham. In addition, UWF sophomore Bruno Savi was named the GSC Player of the Year and head coach Derrick Racine received Coach of the Year honors. Andrey Pozhidaev was named to the All-GSC team for the fourth time.

UWF head coach Derrick Racine received his sixth GSC Coach of the Year honors. It is the seventh time that a UWF men’s tennis coach has received the accolade. This season, Racine led the Argos to their ninth GSC Championship. UWF was perfect in regular season GSC play and won the GSC Men’s Tennis Championships last Sunday in Montgomery, Ala. So far this season, the Argos are 23-2 and are riding a 14-match winning streak. UWF has 17 victories over ranked opponents. UWF is ranked No. 2 nationally and is the No. 1 ranking team in the South Region.

Sophomore Bruno Savi (Santana do Livramento, Brazil) received GSC Player of the Year honors and is a member of the All-GSC Men’s Tennis Team. Savi, who transferred to UWF from Auburn Montgomery and is in his first season playing for the Argonauts, is the No. 12 ranked singles player in the nation and is No. 5 in the South Region. Savi is 16-2 this season. He has compiled a 9-1 record at the No. 1 position and a 7-1 record at the No. 2 line. Savi has won his last 13 matches. During the regular season, he was 4-0 against conference competition. He teams with UWF senior Kevin Ducros (Aix-en-Provence, France) to form the No. 2 doubles team in the nation. The duo is also the No. 2 doubles team in the South Region. They are 20-4 this season, with all matches being played at the No. 1 spot.

UWF senior Andrey Pozhidaev (Sochi, Russia) became the 22nd player in league history to be named to the All-GSC team four times. He is the third Argonaut to receive the honor four times. Pozhidaev is 19-2 this season, including 7-0 at the No. 2 singles position. He has won his last 12 matches and is ranked No. 21 nationally. In doubles, he teams with UWF junior Leandro Ferreira (Sao Paulo, Brazil) to form the No. 17 doubles team in the nation. The duo is 18-3 this season, with all matches being played at the No. 2 line. They have won their last 10 matches and went 5-0 in regular season conference play.

West Florida junior Ducros made the All-GSC team for the third time. Ducros, who redshirted last season due to an injury, was named to the 2009 and 2010 All-GSC teams. He is the No. 9 singles player in the national the No. 4-ranked singles player in the South Region. Ducros is 10-5 this season, including 5-0 at the No. 2 line. He went 3-0 against regular season GSC competition this year. In doubles, he teams with Savi to form the No. 2 doubles tandem in the nation and South Region. The duo is 20-4 this season and 8-2 in their last 10 matches.

UWF freshman Elio Latela (Sydney, Australia) is making his first appearance on the All-GSC team. In singles, Latela is 17-1 this season, including 7-0 at the No. 5 line. He is currently riding a five-match winning streak. In regular season conference play, he was 6-0 in singles. Latela is 3-0 in doubles this year.

West Florida is the No. 1 seed in the South Region and will host NCAA South Regional #1 April 28-30th at the Ralph “Skeeter” Carson Tennis Complex on the UWF campus. On April 29th, UWF will face the winner of the West Alabama-Fort Valley State match. First serve of the Argos match is set for 10 a.m. central. Results and recaps from all of UWF matches in the NCAA tournament will be available on GoArgos.com. For information on all UWF Athletics, visit www.GoArgos.com.

#ARGOS#

2012 ALL-GSC MEN’S TENNIS TEAM
Player - School - Year - Hometown
Bruno Savi - West Florida - So. - Santana do Livramento, Brazil
#^ Kevin Ducros - West Florida - Jr. - Aix-en-Provence, France
^#! Andrey Pozhidaev - West Florida - Sr. - Sochi, Russia
Elio Latela - West Florida - Fr. - Sydney, Australia
Konstantin Kutschenko - Valdosta State - Jr. - Gottingen, Germany
^ Christian Hansen - Valdosta State - Sr. - Cologne, Germany
Niklas Herbring - Valdosta State - Fr. - Offenbach am Main, Germany
^ Daniel Cancellas - Alabama-Huntsville - Sr. - Joinville, Brazil

^ - 2011 All-GSC Team
# - 2010 All-GSC Team
! – 2009 All-GSC Team

GSC Player of the Year – Bruno Savi, West Florida
GSC Freshman of the Year – Niklas Herbring, Valdosta State
GSC Coach of the Year – Derrick Racine, West Florida
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