PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Tulane senior Constantin Schmitz, who led the Green Wave to its first American Athletic Conference title, has been chosen as The American’s 2018 Men’s Tennis Player of the Year by the league’s 10 head coaches.
Tulsa’s Joshua Goodger, who registered 15 dual match wins in his first year with the Golden Hurricane, was named as The American’s Rookie of the Year. Tulane head coach Mark Booras, who has led the Green Wave to 12 wins in its last 13 matches entering the NCAA Championship, was chosen by his counterparts as The American Coach of the Year.
UCF was the winner of the 2018 Team Academic Excellence Award for having the highest cumulative grade-point average at the start of the academic year.
A native of Remagen, Germany, Schmitz was named The American Player of the Year for the second straight season after he went 18-4 in dual matches at No. 1 singles and was 28-8 overall in the 2017-18 season. He registered 12 wins against nationally ranked opponents during the season and brings an 11-match winning streak into the NCAA tournament. Schmitz, who was chosen as the Most Outstanding Player of the American Athletic Conference Championship, is ranked No. 15 in the Oracle/ITA national singles rankings, was selected as a top-16 seed in singles for the NCAA Men’s Tennis Championships and was chosen with partner Ewan Moore to play in the doubles round of the NCAA tournament.
Goodger, who hails from Wallington, England, finished his freshman season at Tulsa with a 15-8 dual-match record and a 24-11 overall mark, playing primarily at No. 2 singles. He is ranked No. 94 in the May 3 Oracle/ITA singles rankings and is No. 84 in the national doubles list. Goodger becomes the second Tulsa player in three years to earn American Freshman of the Year honors, joining teammate Majed Kilani, who won in 2016.
Booras earned his first Coach of the Year honor from The American after he led the Green Wave to the American Athletic Conference title, ending USF’s four-year hold on the conference championship. Tulane, which is ranked No. 23 nationally, will make its third straight NCAA Championship appearance as the Green Wave rides a seven-match winning streak into the national tournament. Tulane scored four wins against nationally ranked opponents and was 12-0 against unranked opponents in 2018.
Schmitz and Goodger were both named to The American’s All-Conference Team in singles. They are joined by Memphis’ Ryan Peniston, who becomes a three-time all-conference selection in singles, two-time pick Andrew Watson of Memphis and first-time selections Alberto Barroso-Campos of USF, Ewan Moore of Tulane and Majed Kilani of Tulsa.
Five of the seven all-conference selections in singles – Peniston, Watson, Barroso-Campos, Moore and Schmitz – were additionally chosen as all-conference picks in doubles. They join UCF’s tandem of Korey Lovett/Eero Vasa as well as Grayson Goldin of USF on the all-conference team.
2018 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE MEN’S TENNIS POSTSEASON HONORS
All-Conference Team
Singles
Ryan Peniston, Memphis
Andrew Watson, Memphis
Alberto Barroso-Campos, USF
Ewan Moore, Tulane
Constantin Schmitz, Tulane
Joshua Goodger, Tulsa
Majed Kilani, Tulsa
Doubles
Korey Lovett, UCF
Eero Vasa, UCF
Ryan Peniston, Memphis
Andrew Watson, Memphis
Alberto Barroso-Campos, USF
Grayson Goldin, USF
Ewan Moore, Tulane
Constantin Schmitz, Tulane
Player of the Year
Constantin Schmitz, Tulane
Freshman of the Year
Joshua Goodger, Tulsa
Coach of the Year
Mark Booras, Tulane
Team Academic Excellence Award
UCF