2012-13 Year in Review - Gator Boosters, Inc.

YEAR IN REVIEW 2012–2013men’s Tennis26In his first year as head coach, Bryan Shelton ledthe Gators to a 15-11 record and earned the thirdseed in the Southeastern Conference Tournament.The Gators hosted an NCAA regional for the sixthyear in a row.The Gators played 13 teams ranked in the top 25this season, including six matches against top-10opponents. The Southeastern Conference was onceagain the best league in the country, as 12 of 13teams were among the NCAA Championships’ field.AOverall Record: 15-11NCAA Finish: T-33rdSEC Record: 7-5SEC Finish: T-3rdSEC Tournament Finish: T-3rdAll-Americans: 2 athletes, 2 honorsAll-SEC: 2 athletes, 2 honorsSEC Academic Honor Roll: 5BCA. Junior Stephane Piro made hisFlorida debut with a 10-matchunbeaten streak to open the spring.He finished with a 15-9 overall recordand was named to the All-Southeastern Conference secondteam after playing in the top singlesposition for the final 10 matches.B. Junior Mike Alford was namedthe team’s MVP after a team-leading30 singles wins on the season. Hehad a 15-7 record in dual matchesand reached the semifinals of boththe Bedford Cup and Dick Vitale ClayCourt Classic last fall.DC. Junior Florent Diep played in thetop two positions for most of the yearand posted a 25-19 overall record.He won the ITA Southeast Regionalin Athens, Ga., last fall to earn a berthin the USTA/ITA National IndoorChampionships. Diep was named tothe All-Southeastern Conferencesecond team.D. Senior Bob van Overbeek finishedhis career ranked in the top 10 insingles victories, doubles victoriesand overall victories. He totaled 85singles wins, eighth-most in schoolhistory, and 81 doubles wins, tied forsixth-most in school history. Hiscombined 166 wins ranks 10th inFlorida history.E. Senior Billy Federhofer finished hisfinal campaign with a 17-13 singlesrecord, including a 10-5 mark in dualmatches. He also paired with GordonWatson for a team-best 17 doubleswins and ranked as high as 28th inthe country as a doubles tandem.DIt’s Great to bea Florida Gator“The people and the relationshipsthat I had at Florida, from JeremyFoley to the coaching staff to theathletics staff, I felt like I waspart of something. When I leftI even said to everyone, includingMr. Foley, that it was a goal ofmine to one day come back andcoach at Florida and win nationalchampionships.”–Mark MerkleinNCAA Singles (1994) and Doubles (1993)ChampionFour-time NCAA All-American1994 SEC Player of the YearA. Lauren Embree was honored in2013 as the Intercollegiate TennisAssociation National Player of theYear, as well as the SoutheasternConference Women’s Tennis Playerof the Year. Embree is the first playerin the 21-year history of the award toreceive the SEC’s top individual honorthree times in a career. Embree alsowas voted the SEC Player of the Yearin 2012 and in 2010, when she becamethe first-ever freshman to collect theaward.B. Junior Sofie Oyen (pictured) andLauren Embree both were ranked asABthe No. 1 singles player in the countryduring the 2012–13 season.C. Junior Olivia Janowicz, whowas named the 2013 SoutheasternConference Tournament MostValuable Player, won a team-best37 singles matches in 2012–13. Sheended the season on a 16-matchsingles win streak.D. Brianna Morgan, who earneda spot on the All-SoutheasternConference Freshman Team, posteda 19-1 dual match singles recordand ended her inaugural collegiateseason on a 13-match singles winstreak.E. Seniors Caroline Hitimana (left)and Lauren Embree helped the Gatorscompile a 55-0 home record duringtheir four-year career, while leadingFlorida to four SoutheasternConference regular-season andtournament titles during their tenure.CDE2012–13 was the fourth consecutive year andthe 23rd time in the last 27 years Florida reachedthe semifinals of the NCAA Championships.Florida captured a share of the 2013 SoutheasternConference regular-season championship andwon the 2013 SEC Tournament title, marking the16th time the Gators have won both league crownsin the same season.Overall Record: 26-3NCAA Finish: T-3rdSEC Record: 12-1SEC Finish: T-1stSEC Tournament Finish: 1stAll-Americans: 2 athletes, 2 honorsAll-SEC: 5 athletes, 5 honorsSEC Academic Honor Roll: 5It’s Great to be aFlorida Gator“There is no better feeling than playing for the Universityof Florida. I can tell you all the individual awards arenice, but the most important aspect to me and thememories that I will remember throughout my lifetimeare the championships that we won and being able toshare with my teammates, staff, fans and coaches.Attending Florida has given me opportunities andexperiences I could not get anywhere else. Gainesvilleis a truly special place and the best decision of my lifewas to become a Gator.”–Lauren Embree2013 ITA National Player of the Year2010, 2012 & 2013 SEC Player of the Year2011 & 2012 NCAA Championships Most Valuable PlayerWomen’s TennisYEAR IN REVIEW 2012–201327