University of North Carolina Athletics
Schneider, Blumberg Honored With ITA National Awards
May 23, 2017 | Men's Tennis
Schneider is the second UNC men's player ever to claim the senior honor, and Blumberg is the second to earn the freshman honor.
Schneider, from Bloomington, Ind., is a four-time All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection and earned All-America honors in singles in 2016. He has a career mark of 120-46 in singles and 93-32 in doubles and has helped lead UNC to unprecedented success during his time as a Tar Heel. In his senior year, the team has won a school record 29 matches and advanced past the NCAA Elite 8 for the first time in school history. UNC is set to play for the NCAA Championship on Tuesday.
A two-time team captain, Schneider graduated from UNC earlier this month with a degree in business administration. He is the recipient of a 2016-17 ACC Weaver-James-Corrigan Postgraduate Award and has earned All-ACC Academic honors during his time at UNC.
Blumberg, from Greenwich, Conn., is 25-2 in singles this spring and was undefeated in ACC play at 11-0. He has won his last 19 matches and is 13-1 against ranked opponents. He was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Freshman of the Year and also named to the All-ACC first team.
In doubles, he has teamed with junior Robert Kelly for a 21-7 record at the No. 1 spot. The two are currently ranked 12th and knocked off the nation's No. 1 team in Monday's NCAA semifinals win over Georgia. Blumberg is one of just five players in the nation who are currently ranked in the top 16 in both singles and doubles.
The other Tar Heel to earn National Rookie of the Year honors was Brayden Schnur in 2014. The other Senior Player of the Year was Raian Luchici in 2006.
On the women's side, Carolina's Hayley Carter was named ITA National Senior Player of the Year, giving UNC a sweep of that award. Courtney Nagle was named the ITA Women's Assistant Coach of the Year. UNC Associate Head Coach Tripp Phillips won that honor on the men's side last season.
Carolina is set to face Virginia Tuesday for the NCAA Championship. Following the team championship, Blumberg will compete ion the NCAA singles and doubles championships and Schneider in the singles, with action starting on Wednesday.
Players Mentioned
