Zheng Repeats as Ivy League Player of the Year
4/30/2026 2:45:00 PM | Men's Tennis
In total, five Lions earn all-conference honors
NEW YORK – For the third time in his career, Columbia men's tennis senior Michael Zheng has been named the Ivy League Player of the Year. Nicolas Kotzen, Abhishek Thorat, Sachin Palta, and Andrew Ena also earned all-conference honors.
Zheng, the back-to-back NCAA Singles Champion, earns Ivy League Player of the Year for the third time in his career and second year in a row. He also earned the honor in 2023 as a first-year player. He becomes the second player in Ivy League history to earn the award three times since the awards inception in 1987, joining Princeton's Matija Pecotic (2011-13)
Zheng also took home First Team All-Ivy League honors in singles and doubles. It is the fourth time in his brilliant career that he has earned first-team honors in both categories. Zheng went 22-6 this season. In the spring, he finished 10-5 playing at the No 1 spot for the Lions, which included a 4-2 mark in Ivy League play.
In doubles, Zheng 8-5 this spring, including a 4-2 mark with partner Nicolas Kotzen. The duo earned First Team Doubles last year as well.
Kotzen earned all-conference honors in both singles and doubles for the third time in his sensational career. He captured First Team honors for the second consecutive year in both singles and doubles play.
In 2025-26, Kotzen amassed a career-best 28 wins, going 28-9. He went 16-4 in the spring, which included a 5-0 mark in Ivy League action. Playing at the No. 1 spot early in the spring, Kotzen went 3-2, which included wins over two-time First Team All-SEC honoreeLucas da Silva of South Carolina and Illinois' Kenta Miyoshi, who earned First Team All-Big 10 honors last year.
First-year player Abhishek Thorat also earned all-conference honors, garnering Honorable Mention accolades in singles play. Thorat completed his first season with a 17-12 singles record. In the spring, he went 13-7, after starting 2026 1-4, he went 12-3 the rest of the way, including a 6-1 mark in Ivy League play.
Palta takes home Honorable Mention accolades with playing Partner Andrew Ena. It is the second time Palta has earned all-conference honors, having won Second Team in doubles play last year. In 2025-26, Palta went 16-7, playing primarily at No. 2 doubles, and with Ena, he formed a strong pairing, going 5-2, including a 4-2 mark in Ivy League play. Ena finished his first season going 16-7 in doubles play for the Lions.
"We are extremely proud of our players who have shown amazing commitment to our program," Endelman said. "They have selflessly bought into a culture valuing the team over individual achievement."
Columbia returns to action tomorrow at Noon when they take on St. John's in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in the Charlottesville Regional.
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).
Zheng, the back-to-back NCAA Singles Champion, earns Ivy League Player of the Year for the third time in his career and second year in a row. He also earned the honor in 2023 as a first-year player. He becomes the second player in Ivy League history to earn the award three times since the awards inception in 1987, joining Princeton's Matija Pecotic (2011-13)
Zheng also took home First Team All-Ivy League honors in singles and doubles. It is the fourth time in his brilliant career that he has earned first-team honors in both categories. Zheng went 22-6 this season. In the spring, he finished 10-5 playing at the No 1 spot for the Lions, which included a 4-2 mark in Ivy League play.
In doubles, Zheng 8-5 this spring, including a 4-2 mark with partner Nicolas Kotzen. The duo earned First Team Doubles last year as well.
Kotzen earned all-conference honors in both singles and doubles for the third time in his sensational career. He captured First Team honors for the second consecutive year in both singles and doubles play.
In 2025-26, Kotzen amassed a career-best 28 wins, going 28-9. He went 16-4 in the spring, which included a 5-0 mark in Ivy League action. Playing at the No. 1 spot early in the spring, Kotzen went 3-2, which included wins over two-time First Team All-SEC honoreeLucas da Silva of South Carolina and Illinois' Kenta Miyoshi, who earned First Team All-Big 10 honors last year.
First-year player Abhishek Thorat also earned all-conference honors, garnering Honorable Mention accolades in singles play. Thorat completed his first season with a 17-12 singles record. In the spring, he went 13-7, after starting 2026 1-4, he went 12-3 the rest of the way, including a 6-1 mark in Ivy League play.
Palta takes home Honorable Mention accolades with playing Partner Andrew Ena. It is the second time Palta has earned all-conference honors, having won Second Team in doubles play last year. In 2025-26, Palta went 16-7, playing primarily at No. 2 doubles, and with Ena, he formed a strong pairing, going 5-2, including a 4-2 mark in Ivy League play. Ena finished his first season going 16-7 in doubles play for the Lions.
"We are extremely proud of our players who have shown amazing commitment to our program," Endelman said. "They have selflessly bought into a culture valuing the team over individual achievement."
Columbia returns to action tomorrow at Noon when they take on St. John's in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in the Charlottesville Regional.
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).
Players Mentioned
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