Courtesy of the SIAC
Mark Chigaazira of Benedict has been named the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Men’s Tennis Player of the Year and headlines the 2023 All-SIAC Team, announced by the league on Saturday.
Gregory Green of Tuskegee was named 2023 SIAC Coach of the Year.
The honors were determined by votes from the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.
Player of the Year, Mark Chigaazira, Benedict College
Mark Chigaazira, a graduate student from Harare, Zimbabwe, was 13-2 overall and 10-1 conference play at the No. 1 singles position. He won his last 10 matches. Chigaazira partnered with doubles teammate and brother Jason Chigaazira to build a 10-5 overall at No. 1 doubles spot, and 8-3 in SIAC play to receive all-conference honors.
Tuskegee’s men’s tennis head coach Gregory Green led the Golden Tigers to a 10-5 overall record and an 8-2 in conference play. Coach Green also had two players earn All-Conference honors in singles play in Josiah Blocus and Torain Alleyne.
The Elite 14 award recognized the student-athlete who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the SIAC championship level in his or her sport while also achieving the highest academic standard among his or her peers. Divgurjot Singh of Benedict is the recipient of this year’s Elite 14 award.
The 2023 SIAC Men’s Tennis Championship is set to take place April 15-16 at Peachtree Tennis Center in Peachtree City, Ga. More information about the championship tournament can be found here.
Men’s Tennis Superlative Awards
Player of the Year
Mark Chigaazira, Benedict
Coach of the Year
Gregory Green, Tuskegee
Elite 14 Honoree
Divgurjot Singh (Benedict, 3.98)
Men’s Tennis
All-Conference Team
| Singles | |||
| Mark Chigaazira | Benedict | Graduate Student | Harare, Zimbabwe |
| Paul-Philipp Kern | Spring Hill | R-Sophomore | Solingen, North-Rhine-Westphalia, Germany |
| Josiah Blocus | Tuskegee | Sophomore | Atlanta, Ga |
| Torain Alleyne | Tuskegee | Sophomore | Bridgetown, Barbados |
| Santiago Soto | Morehouse | Freshman | Jacksonville, FL |
| Marcus Frierson | LeMoyne-Owen | Senior | Memphis, TN |
| Doubles | |||
| Paul-Philipp Kern/Tom Gutermann | Spring Hill | R-Sophomore/Freshman | Solingen, North-Rhine-Westphalia, Germany/Biberach, Baden-Württemberg, Germany |
| Charles Wallace/Sebastian Torres | Spring Hill | Junior/Sophomore | Bournemouth, England/Guaynabo, Puerto Rico |
| Mark Chigaazira/Jason Chigaazira | Benedict | Graduate Student/Sophomore | Harare, Zimbabwe |
