Tempe, AZ – The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (“ITA”) is pleased to announce the 2026 ITA Division I Women’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 Cissie Leary 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
Mark Weaver | Texas A&M University
Mark Weaver from Texas A&M University has been named the 2026 Division I Women’s ITA/Dunlop Coach of the Year. Leading the Aggies to their second NCAA title in just three seasons, Weaver and his team had yet another strong season, even after losing two of their top players from last season. Finishing with a 28-5 record, Texas A&M shined when the lights were brightest this May, beating the No. 5, No. 2, and No. 1 seeded teams en route to the NCAA Championship. Weaver and the Aggies have won five consecutive SEC Regular Season Conference Titles, and behind his coaching, Lucciana Perez finished the year as the No. 1 ranked singles player in the country. Weaver and his teams have now reached the at least the Elite Eight five straight seasons as the program continues to be a mainstay at the top of college tennis.
ITA Assistant Coach of the Year
David Secker | NC State University
David Secker from NC State University has been named the 2026 Division I Women’s ITA Assistant Coach of the Year. As a pivotal part in the continued excellence of the NC State program, Secker helped lead the Wolfpack to yet another storied season in which a doubles team were crowned NCAA Doubles Champions and the team reached the NCAA Elite Eight. With a team filled with new faces and young talent, Secker helped establish a culture quickly on and instilled a toughness that helped the NC State team overcome numerous challenges faced throughout the season. Winning the programs second ACC Tournament Title this season, the Wolfpack finished the year 25-8 overall and had 13 ranked wins – including a 4-3 win over the No. 2 ranked Pepperdine back in March.
ITA Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship Award
Reese Brantmeier | University of North Carolina
Reese Brantmeier from the University of North Carolina has been named the 2026 Division I Women’s ITA Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship Award winner. Not only one of the most storied college tennis players on the court over the past four years, Brantmeier has been just as active off the court as well leaving a lasting impact on the communities around her. Founding the Reese Brantmeier Project, Brantmeier has successfully rebuilt two dilapidated tennis courts in Whitewater, Wisconsin which are now free to use by community members looking to play. In part of this project, students from the elementary school in which Brantmeier attended will also be introduced to tennis in PE classes, while Brantmeier also worked with Babolat to provide new tennis racquets for the entire high school women’s tennis team. Additionally, through her own donations and fundraising, Brantmeier has started a new program in all local libraries where community members can check out tennis equipment at no cost to try out the sport. Brantmeier remains active in her hometown each summer as she returns to serve as a camp coach at the UW-Whitewater tennis camps where she coaches and mentors high school students who have aspirations to play college tennis after high school.
ITA Cissie Leary Sportsmanship Award
Sarah Millard | Arkansas State University
Sarah Millard from Arkansas State University has been named the 2026 Division I Women’s ITA Cissie Leary Sportsmanship Award winner. As a fierce competitor, Millard has been integral in elevating Arkansas State to new heights over the past few seasons. In 2026, Millard and her teammates had their second straight season with 13+ victories and won the UTR Sports NIT Championship largely in part to her success and leadership on and off the court. With a team-first mentality, Millard pushes her team to persevere in tough moments and take a competitive mindset in critical moments which has greatly helped the culture within the program. Just as much of a leader off the court, Millard was selected as the recipient of the Sun Belt Conference Postgraduate Scholarship Award which recognizes her performances both on the court and in the classroom. Millard has completed over 111 hours of community service, dedicating her time to supporting children, senior citizens, and individuals dealing with mental health challenges. After graduation, Millard aims to pursue a career in occupational therapy where she can continue to have an impact on others around her.
ITA Rookie of the Year
Victoria Osuigwe | NC State University
Victoria Osuigwe from NC State University has been named the 2026 Division I Women’s ITA Rookie of the Year. Earning the title of “National Champion” just months after enrolling at NC State, Osuigwe has impressed from day one with the Wolfpack. As a standout singles and doubles player, Osuigwe won the 2025 NCAA Doubles Championship with partner Gabriella Broadfoot and ranked as high as No. 2 in the country. In singles, Osuigwe went 21-5 across all dual matches this spring, primarily from the No. 5 singles position. As a very clutch player for the Wolfpack as well, Osuigwe clinched several big matches this season for NC State including a 4-3 win over Florida during ITA Kickoff Weekend, a 4-3 win over Oklahoma State at the ITA Indoor Championships, and a 4-2 win over Texas in the NCAA Round of Sixteen. Across both singles and doubles this spring, Osuigwe finished with a 46-11 record and was very influential on NC State’s success as a team.
ITA Most Improved Player
Savannah Dada-Mascoll | Appalachian State University
Savannah Dada-Mascoll from Appalachian State University has been named the 2026 Division I Women’s ITA Most Improved Player. As one of the most accomplished athletes in App State program history, Dada-Mascoll took her game to another level this season, turning heads across the nation for her play on the court. A four-time All-Sun Belt First Team selection, Dada-Mascoll achieved a career-high singles ranking of No. 5 this season and was a star of the fall season, shining at the ITA All-American Championships and NCAA Singles Championships. Across the entire season, Dada-Mascoll went 36-3 in singles and had a 23-match winning streak during the spring season. Dada-Mascoll earned a win over the nation’s No. 1 ranked player in the fall and surpassed 100 career singles victories at App State this season as well.
ITA Player to Watch
Lucciana Perez | Texas A&M University
Lucciana Perez from Texas A&M University has been named the 2026 ITA Division I Women’s ITA Player to Watch. Named the SEC Player of the Year, Perez had a dominant spring season in which she went 28-0 overall in singles, including a perfect 7-0 record against opponents ranked in the Top Ten of the ITA Singles Rankings. As a crucial part of the Aggie team that won the 2026 NCAA National Championship, Perez recently claimed the Honda Sports Award for tennis after her standout season in one of the toughest conferences in college tennis. Perez was the first player in Texas A&M history to record an undefeated season and finished the year ranked as the No. 1 ranked singles player in the ITA Singles Rankings.
ITA Senior Player of the Year
Reese Brantmeier | University of North Carolina
Reese Brantmeier from the University of North Carolina has been named the 2026 ITA Division I Women’s ITA Senior Player of the Year. Closing off a historic collegiate career this season, Brantmeier has been earning accolades for her on court accomplishments since stepping on campus in Chapel Hill back in the fall of 2022. Winning a NCAA Team Championship in 2023, Brantmeier won the NCAA Singles Championship this past fall, making her just the second Tar Heel in program history to win the singles title. Named the ACC Player of the Year this season for the second straight year, Brantmeier is an eight time ITA All-American and has been named First-Team All-ACC each year of her career. Compiling a 26-4 singles record this season, Brantmeier did not lose a match until March as was the No. 1 ranked singles player in the country for a large portion of the season. Across her career, Brantmeier has gone 85-13 for the Tar Heels primarily from the No. 1 singles position and holds many program records for her success across both singles and doubles.
