Photo by: Columbia University Athletics / Lem Photography
Howard Endelman Named Ivy League Coach of the Year, Lions Secure Two First Team All-Ivy Selections
5/1/2024 3:00:00 PM | Men's Tennis
Endelman earns Ivy League Coach of the Year recognition for the second straight year
NEW YORK – Bidyut K. Goswami Head Coach of Men's Tennis Howard Endelman '87CC was named the Ivy League Coach of the Year for the second straight season as part of the league's men's tennis awards announced Wednesday. Michael Zheng and Theo Winegar earned spots on the First Team All-Ivy list, while Nicolas Kotzen, Alex Kotzen, Hugo Hashimoto and Max Westphal garnered Second Team All-Ivy recognition. Henry Ruger rounded out the list as an Academic All-Ivy selection.
Endelman earns his second straight Ivy League Coach of the Year award after leading Columbia to its first Ivy League title since 2019. The championship is the 17th in program history and the first of Endelman's tenure as head coach. The Lions finished the regular season with a 20-3 overall record and a 6-1 mark in Ivy League play. Columbia is currently ranked at No. 8, but peaked at No. 4 earlier this season for the highest ranking in program history.
"The Coach of the Year award was earned through the commitment of every player on the roster, each of whom has embraced his role, the dedication of Coaches Ian Van Cott and Shawn Hadavi '17CC and those who came before them, and the encouragement and support of special people behind the scenes who have made it possible to succeed," Endelman said.
Zheng and Winegar highlighted the list of Columbia honorees as they were selected to the First Team All-Ivy List unanimously. Zheng was selected First Team All-Ivy in singles and doubles, while Winegar was a First Team All-Ivy doubles selection.
The two will participate in the 2024 NCAA Division I Men's Tennis Championships starting May 20 at the Greenwood Tennis Center in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
Zheng earned a spot in the singles bracket as an at-large selection. Zheng posted a 25-9 overall record this season with a 13-5 mark during the spring dual season. He was 3-2 in Ivy League matches.
Zheng and Winegar earned the Ivy League's automatic qualification into the doubles bracket. The duo went 4-1 in league play and finished the dual season with a 15-2 record. Zheng and Winegar are 19-7 overall this season.
Nicolas Kotzen, Alex Kotzen, Hugo Hashimoto and Max Westphal each earned Second Team All-Ivy nods. Ruger earned Academic All-Ivy honors for his performance on the court and dedication in the classroom.
"For that many players to receive All-Ivy honors shows how much our guys have selflessly bought into a culture valuing the team over individual achievement," Endelman said.
Nicolas Kotzen earned Second Team All-Ivy recognition for singles and doubles. He was 15-4 during the dual season and was 5-1 in Ivy League matches. With his doubles partner, Max Westphal, the duo went 12-4 overall this spring with a 3-1 mark in conference action to earn Second Team All-Ivy honors.
Alex Kotzen posted a 12-4 overall record during the spring dual season with a 2-3 mark in Ivy League play. Hashimoto was 19-1 this spring with a perfect 7-0 mark in Ivy League matches. Hashimoto primarily played the No. 5 singles, where he posted an undefeated 15-0 record.
Each member of Columbia's starting lineup was recognized in at least one way on the All-Ivy awards list for the first time in program history.
The Lions will look to continue making history starting Friday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament against Quinnipiac. As the No. 8 national seed, Columbia is the first Ivy League team to ever earn a top-eight seed in the NCAA Tournament. Columbia will host its fifth regional in the past 10 years and will have a chance to host a super regional for the first time in program history with two wins this weekend.
"Columbia was top-10 in the country just before Covid started here in March 2020. The Ivy League conference did not compete for the next two seasons and we lost almost our entire team to graduation. Our current seniors did virtual school and were not allowed on campus because of Covid, plus there was no facility when they arrived in September 2021 until the beautiful Milstein Family Tennis Center opened in February 2023. The current players had to completely start over from scratch. What the entire Columbia tennis family - built on the shoulders of Coach Bid Goswami and so many others - has accomplished together since that time is a source of great pride."
FOLLOWING THE LIONS
Stay up to date on all things Columbia Men's Tennis by following the Lions on X (@CULionsMTEN), Instagram (@culionsmten) and on Facebook (@ColumbiaAthletics).
Endelman earns his second straight Ivy League Coach of the Year award after leading Columbia to its first Ivy League title since 2019. The championship is the 17th in program history and the first of Endelman's tenure as head coach. The Lions finished the regular season with a 20-3 overall record and a 6-1 mark in Ivy League play. Columbia is currently ranked at No. 8, but peaked at No. 4 earlier this season for the highest ranking in program history.
"The Coach of the Year award was earned through the commitment of every player on the roster, each of whom has embraced his role, the dedication of Coaches Ian Van Cott and Shawn Hadavi '17CC and those who came before them, and the encouragement and support of special people behind the scenes who have made it possible to succeed," Endelman said.
Zheng and Winegar highlighted the list of Columbia honorees as they were selected to the First Team All-Ivy List unanimously. Zheng was selected First Team All-Ivy in singles and doubles, while Winegar was a First Team All-Ivy doubles selection.
The two will participate in the 2024 NCAA Division I Men's Tennis Championships starting May 20 at the Greenwood Tennis Center in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
Zheng earned a spot in the singles bracket as an at-large selection. Zheng posted a 25-9 overall record this season with a 13-5 mark during the spring dual season. He was 3-2 in Ivy League matches.
Zheng and Winegar earned the Ivy League's automatic qualification into the doubles bracket. The duo went 4-1 in league play and finished the dual season with a 15-2 record. Zheng and Winegar are 19-7 overall this season.
Nicolas Kotzen, Alex Kotzen, Hugo Hashimoto and Max Westphal each earned Second Team All-Ivy nods. Ruger earned Academic All-Ivy honors for his performance on the court and dedication in the classroom.
"For that many players to receive All-Ivy honors shows how much our guys have selflessly bought into a culture valuing the team over individual achievement," Endelman said.
Nicolas Kotzen earned Second Team All-Ivy recognition for singles and doubles. He was 15-4 during the dual season and was 5-1 in Ivy League matches. With his doubles partner, Max Westphal, the duo went 12-4 overall this spring with a 3-1 mark in conference action to earn Second Team All-Ivy honors.
Alex Kotzen posted a 12-4 overall record during the spring dual season with a 2-3 mark in Ivy League play. Hashimoto was 19-1 this spring with a perfect 7-0 mark in Ivy League matches. Hashimoto primarily played the No. 5 singles, where he posted an undefeated 15-0 record.
Each member of Columbia's starting lineup was recognized in at least one way on the All-Ivy awards list for the first time in program history.
The Lions will look to continue making history starting Friday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament against Quinnipiac. As the No. 8 national seed, Columbia is the first Ivy League team to ever earn a top-eight seed in the NCAA Tournament. Columbia will host its fifth regional in the past 10 years and will have a chance to host a super regional for the first time in program history with two wins this weekend.
"Columbia was top-10 in the country just before Covid started here in March 2020. The Ivy League conference did not compete for the next two seasons and we lost almost our entire team to graduation. Our current seniors did virtual school and were not allowed on campus because of Covid, plus there was no facility when they arrived in September 2021 until the beautiful Milstein Family Tennis Center opened in February 2023. The current players had to completely start over from scratch. What the entire Columbia tennis family - built on the shoulders of Coach Bid Goswami and so many others - has accomplished together since that time is a source of great pride."
FOLLOWING THE LIONS
Stay up to date on all things Columbia Men's Tennis by following the Lions on X (@CULionsMTEN), Instagram (@culionsmten) and on Facebook (@ColumbiaAthletics).
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