For 2nd time in 3 years, Green is state Coach of the Year
NEW ORLEANS — For the second time in three years, Xavier University of Louisiana's Alan Green is Coach of the Year on the All-Louisiana men's tennis team selected by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.
The team, announced late Saturday, includes two Xavier players. Senior Hassan Abbas made the first team, and junior Zach Taylor is on the second team.
Green, a New Orleans native in his eighth season at Xavier, led the Gold
Rush to a 13-9 record, a third consecutive berth in the NAIA National Championship, the program's first top-10 ranking and the first victory against a top-10 NAIA opponent — 6-3 at Vanguard on March 4. XU had five victories against teams in the final NAIA coaches poll and two victories vs. NCAA Division I. All the losses were to ranked NAIA opponents or D-I.
This was the first Xavier team in any sport to be ranked in the top 10 of a final NAIA poll since women's basketball in 1997-98. XU was top 10 in four of the last five polls.
Abbas, from Saltaire, England, and a graduate of Bingley Grammar School and Ventura (Calif.) College, is the first XU men's tennis player to make the All-Louisiana first team twice or in consecutive seasons. Abbas was 15-6 in singles and 15-8 doubles this season and was 31st in the most recent Intercollegiate Tennis Association/NAIA singles rankings.
Taylor, from Monroe, La., and a graduate of St. Frederick High School and Ventura College, was 11-10 in singles and 15-8 in doubles. He was 24th in ITA/NAIA singles rankings. Taylor and Abbas are 15th nationally in doubles.
2010-11 All-Louisiana Collegiate Men's Tennis Team
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First Team
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Name
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School
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Class
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Hometown
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Idan Mark
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Tulane
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So.
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Santana Hod Hasharon, Israel
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Neal Skupski
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LSU
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Jr.
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Liverpool, England
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Sebastian Carlsson
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LSU
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Sr.
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Uppsala, Sweden
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Dmitry Kozionov
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Nicholls State
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So.
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Ivhevsk, Russia
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Hassan Abbas
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Xavier (La.)
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Sr.
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Saltaire, England
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Abdelrahman Zaki
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New Orleans
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Jr.
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Egypt
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Second Team
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Name
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School
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Class
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Hometown
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Hossam Meligy
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New Orleans
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So.
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Egypt
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Julien Gauthier
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LSU
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Sr.
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Repentigny, Canada
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Joe Young
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Tulane
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So.
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Redlands, Calif.
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Palash Tiwari
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Nicholls State
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So.
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New Delhi, India
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Zach Taylor
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Xavier (La.)
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Jr.
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Monroe, La.
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Yanick Mandl
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Louisiana-Lafayette
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Jr.
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Thalwil, Switzerland
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Player of the Year: Neal Skupski, LSU
Newcomer of the Year: Idan Mark, Tulane
Freshman of the Year: Hossam Meligy, New Orleans
Coach of the Year: Alan Green, Xavier |
