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CU in "Sweet 16" Helvey named C.O.Y.
HOUSTON, Texas (May 14) – At Tuesday night’s annual Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) awards ceremony, the nationally ranked #7 Cameron Aggie men’s tennis team (21-3) was given a few very impressive awards. CU’s two recipients on the night were head coach James Helvey and junior Daniel Pazos. The awards ceremony was held to coincide with Wednesday’s start of the final rounds at the NCAA National tennis tournament, which is being held in Houston, Texas, this year.
This season Coach Helvey has already been named the Lone Star Conference men’s tennis Coach of the Year, as well as the Cameron University Athletics Coach of the Year. After last night’s ceremony, Coach Helvey can now add Wilson/ITA Regional and National Coach of the Year to his long list of accolades.
Cameron competes in the NCAA Division II Central Division, where Coach Helvey was first named the Regional Coach of the Year. The ITA then selects their national coach of the year from the eight regional coaches of the year. After last night, Coach Helvey is now the 2008 Wilson/ITA Division II National Coach of the Year.
The award adds to an already incredible year for Coach Helvey, who has now been at CU for fifteen seasons. This year Coach Helvey also eclipsed the 500 career victories milestone, ranking him among the elite coaches in the entire nation. Additionally, the men’s tennis team has achieved a #1 regional ranking and a #7 national ranking, the highest in school history.
In April the Aggie men’s tennis team won the first Lone Star Conference Championship in school history, and brought home both the LSC Regular Season Championship trophy as well as the LSC Tournament Championship trophy. In the process Cameron swept Abilene Christian University in two matches; CU had never beaten ACU before this season.
CU’s other award winner from Tuesday night is the aforementioned Daniel Pazos. Pazos, who is in his first year with the CU men’s tennis team, was named the ITA Central Region Player to Watch. Pazos is a Business Management major from Valencia, Venezuela, and has had a very impressive year for CU.
This season Pazos teamed with senior Jordi Mullor to form the #1 doubles team in the entire nation. Pazos is also ranked #38 in singles. On the season Pazos is 21-2 in doubles play and 19-3 in singles action.
Cameron’s first match in the final rounds of the national tournament takes place at 1:30pm on Wednesday. CU will battle the #19 Francis Marion University (South Carolina) Patriots, who are also nationally ranked.
The Aggie men’s tennis team qualified for the “Sweet 16” of the national tournament after sweeping their regional final at the CU Tennis Center last Friday. In the match Cameron defeated Southeastern Oklahoma State, 5-0.
Live coverage of the Cameron men’s tennis team is not available for the first day of the tournament. Live video is available for some teams, but not for the Aggies on the first day. CU fans can check back with the Cameron Athletics website (goaggies.cameron.edu) to see if live coverage of Aggie men’s tennis becomes available as the team advances further in the tournament.
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