SKILLMAN, N.J. - The Intercollegiate Tennis Association announced the 2015 Regional Awards Tuesday and the Illini took home a total of four Midwest Region awards. Head coach
Brad Dancer was named the Midwest Region Coach of the Year, marking his first coach of the year accolade. Associate head coach
Marcos Asse was named the Midwest Region Assistant Coach of the Year for the first time, while senior
Tim Kopinski was named the Midwest ITA Senior Player of the Year and Midwest ITA/Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sportsmanship & Leadership Award winner.
The eight regional winners, for each respective award, are nominees for each national award.
Dancer has had arguably his best season at Illinois in his 10 years under the helm, leading the Illini to a Big Ten Championship, Big Tournament Championship and his eighth NCAA Tournament Round of 16 appearance. Dancer joinsCraig Tiley as the only Illinois coaches to receive a regional Coach of the Year accolade.
Having been ranked in the top-10 since the Jan. 28 polls, Dancer and Asse brought Illinois to as high as No. 2 in the nation. Illinois currently sports five ranked singles players. Asse has continued his streak of guiding at least two Illini to All-Big Ten accolades in each season he has been at Illinois. The Illini totaled five 2015 All-Big Ten accolades, marking the first time that the Orange and Blue produced five honorees since 2003.
The ITA/Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sportsmanship & Leadership Award, which dates back to 1982, recognizes players who have exhibited outstanding sportsmanship and leadership as well as scholastic, extracurricular and tennis achievements. Tim's twin sister Melissa Kopinski also received the ITA/Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sportsmanship & Leadership Award this season.
The First-Team All-Big Ten selection,
Tim Kopinski, has been one of the most consistent players for the Illini in program history. The Palos Hills native has totaled 27 singles wins this season and is 18-4 in the dual season. Kopinski, currently ranked No. 65 nationally in singles, has also played at the No. 1 doubles position all season and earned an at-large selection to the NCAA Individual Championships with
Ross Guignon. The senior will leave Illinois ranked in the top-10 in program history in singles, doubles and combined wins.
The No. 4 Illini will face No. 13 North Carolina in the 2015 NCAA Tournament Round of 16 on Thursday, May 14 at the Hurd Tennis Center in Waco, Texas. The action is slated to begin at Noon CT.
