Tempe, AZ – The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (“ITA”) is pleased to announce the 2026 ITA Division I Men’s National Award recipients. Every year the ITA recognizes coaches and student-athletes for their excellence both on the court and in their communities throughout the season.
The Division I national awards include: ITA/Dunlop Coach of the Year, ITA Assistant Coach of the Year, Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship Award, ITA Rafael Osuna Sportsmanship Award, ITA Rookie of the Year, ITA Most Improved Player, ITA Senior Player of the Year, ITA Player to Watch, and the ITA National Player of the Year.
Continue reading below to find out more about each of the 2026 ITA National Award winners:
ITA/Dunlop Coach of the Year
Andres Pedroso | University of Virginia
Andres Pedroso from the University of Virginia has been named the 2026 Division I Men’s ITA/Dunlop Coach of the Year. Entering the spring, Pedroso had to endure losing his No. 1 singles player to the ATP Tour and another contributor to a season-long injury, but never backed down from the challenge. Finishing 28-4 overall, Pedroso not only handled adversity this season but thrived, leading the Cavaliers to a NCAA National Title for the third time in the past five seasons. Going 12-1 in conference play, Virginia reached the finals of the ACC Tournament and also advanced all the way to the semifinals of the ITA National Team Indoor Championships back in February. Behind his coaching, Pedroso has also developed Dylan Dietrich into the nation’s top ranked singles player this season, while Dietrich and Mans Dahlberg also claimed the NCAA Doubles title this past fall.
ITA Assistant Coach of the Year
Benjamin Becker | University of Texas
Benjamin Becker from the University of Texas has been named the 2026 Division I Men’s ITA Assistant Coach of the Year. Joining the Longhorns prior to the 2024-25 season, Becker has seamlessly integrated himself into the Texas program and has been a tremendous part of their success over the past two seasons. This season, behind his coaching, Texas won their first-ever ITA National Team Indoor Championship and reached the finals of the NCAA Championship. Additionally, the Longhorns stacked up 29 wins this season which ties a program record that dates back to 1975, while they also claimed their second straight SEC regular season and tournament championships. As a great developer of talent, Becker helped a team with a lot of new faces this season prepare for the biggest of stages and helped senior Sebastian Gorzney develop into one of the nation’s top singles players this season.
ITA Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship Award
Phillip Deaton | Air Force
Phillip Deaton from Air Force has been named the 2026 Division I Men’s ITA Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship Award winner. As a four-year letter winner who has appeared in 234 career matches for the Falcons, Deaton has been the heartbeat of the Air Force team during his time there. As an integral part of the Air Force lineup, Deaton was the Mountain West Freshman of the Year in 2024, and now sits in the top three positions of the Falcons singles lineup. As a leader, Deaton prides himself on doing the things others do not want to do with a good attitude. This season Deaton prided himself on checking in with teammates every single practice to create a better relationship with them and to make them feel valued. Upon graduation, Deaton will be commissioned into the Air Force as a second lieutenant and will begin his career at the Academy in the athletic department, before going into the acquisitions field.
ITA Rafael Osuna Sportsmanship Award
Sebastian Dominko | Notre Dame
Sebastian Dominko from Notre Dame has been named the 2026 Division I Men’s ITA Rafael Osuna Sportsmanship Award winner. As one of the most storied players in Notre Dame history, Dominko has been a leader both on and off the court for the Fighting Irish. Being named a three-time All-American, 2025 ACC Player of the Year, and an eight-time All-ACC selection, Dominko is top five in Notre Dame history in career wins at the No. 1 singles and doubles positions. This year, Dominko was selected as the recipient of the Byron V. Kanaley Award, which is awarded to “the most exemplary embodiment of what it means to be a student-athlete – showing outstanding excellence in academics, athletics, and leadership.” In addition to his on-court achievements, Dominko also volunteers in the South Bend community and often times mentors junior players who play tennis at the Notre Dame facility throughout the week.
ITA Rookie of the Year
Max Dahlin | University of Michigan
Max Dahlin from the University of Michigan has been named the 2026 Division I Men’s ITA Rookie of the Year. After redshirting last season, Dahlin saw his first action for the Wolverines this season and impressed right away. Named the 2026 Big Ten Player and Rookie of the Year, Dahlin became the first player in conference history to win both awards in the same season. Reaching the NCAA Singles and Doubles Quarterfinals in the fall, Dahlin carried this momentum into the spring where he continued to shine atop the Michigan lineup. Going 29-3 overall in singles, Dahlin was unbeaten in the Big Ten and held a 13-2 record against ranked opponents helping him achieve a career-high ITA Singles Ranking of No. 6 in the country. In doubles, Dahlin went 17-7 and ranked as high as No. 7 in the ITA Doubles Rankings. Dahlin was recently recognized as an ITA All-American in both singles and doubles, and was a unanimous First-Team All-Big Ten selection this season.
ITA Most Improved Player
Duncan Chan | TCU
Duncan Chan from TCU has been named the 2026 Division I Men’s ITA Most Improved Player. In a year in which TCU had to replace of the majority of their top three lineup production, it was Chan who took the leap up the lineup this season and asserted himself as one of the top players in the country. Fluctuating in and out of the TCU lineup last season, Chan has been the Horned Frogs’ No. 1 singles player the entire season after a dominant fall season. Defeating ten players in the ITA Top-100 in September alone, Chan won the Battle in the Bay Singles and Doubles Championships in September before qualifying for the NCAA Singles Championship through his performance at the ITA All-American Championship. As a top doubles player as well, Chan has been ranked as the No. 1 ranked doubles team at times this season and ended the year ranked No. 3 in the country. Finishing 23-9 overall in singles, Chan was named the Big 12 Player of the Year and was named to the ITA National Team Indoor All-Tournament Team.
ITA Player to Watch
Trevor Svajda | SMU
Trevor Svajda from SMU has been named the 2026 ITA Division I Men’s ITA Player to Watch. Reaching new heights this season as junior, Svajda has ranked as high as No. 1 in the ITA Singles Rankings this season after finishing last season ranked No. 47 in the country. Starting his season off strong in the fall, Svajda reached the finals of the NCAA Singles Championship, the first SMU player to do so since Richey Reneberg in 1986. Across all matches, Svajda finished 32-6 in singles and had wins over Duncan Chan (TCU), Benito Sanchez Martinez (Mississippi State), Devin Badenhorst (Baylor), and Aidan Kim (Ohio State) to name a few. In total, Svajda had 17 ranked singles wins on the season and finished the season ranked as the No. 4 ranked singles player in the country.
ITA Senior Player of the Year
Sebastian Gorzny | University of Texas
Sebastian Gorzny from the University of Texas has been named the 2026 ITA Division I Men’s ITA Senior Player of the Year. As a name college tennis fans have known since he began his collegiate career, Gorzny has continued to shine year-over-year and this season took another step forward as one of the nation’s top players. Rising up to the No. 1 singles position this season after playing behind the ITA National Player of the Year last season, Gorzny did not shy away from any challenges throughout the season and was influential in the Longhorns success as a team this year. Named the SEC Tournament Most Valuable Player and the ITA National Team Indoor Championship Most Outstanding Player, Gorzny has shown up this year when the lights were the brightest. Going 26-8 in singles across the fall and spring, Gorzny had seven Top-15 victories and 13 Top-50 victories on the season. Behind his success, the Longhorns claimed the ITA Team Indoor Championship for the first time in program history, won back-to-back SEC regular season and tournament championships, and finished as the National Runner-Up in the NCAA Championships.
