Bulldogs Bring In ITA Regional Awards

STARKVILLE – No. 16 Mississippi State concluded its men’s tennis season a few weeks ago but the awards continue to roll in for the Bulldogs.

On Tuesday, Matt Roberts was named the Wilson/ITA Southern Regional Coach of the Year while Jake Jacoby was tabbed the Assistant Coach of the Year for the Southern Regional. No. 109 Ewen Lumsden earned the ITA Senior Player of the Year for the Southern Regional while Gregor Ramskogler was selected as the ITA Most Improved Senior.

It is the fourth time Roberts has earned Wilson/ITA Southern Regional Coach of the Year, having also received that honor in three straight seasons from 2017-19.

Roberts and Jacoby guided MSU to a 21-8 record this past season and into the Round of 16 at the NCAA Championships. The Bulldogs posted nine victories against ranked opponents, including four wins versus top 20 foes.

State found plenty of success at home, going 17-1 between the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre and Rula Tennis Pavilion and won the NCAA Starkville Regional. The Bulldogs also earned the highest-ranked win in program history when they knocked off then second-ranked South Carolina 5-2 at home on March 19.

Lumsden, a graduate transfer from the University of Washington, posted a 23-10 overall singles record during his lone season in Starkville. The Glasgow, Scotland native led the Bulldogs with a 9-3 singles mark in SEC play and picked up a pair of ranked wins along with four match-clinchers.

Lumsden is the fourth player in Mississippi State history to be selected as the ITA Senior Player of the Year and second in as many years. He joins Artem Ilyushin (2012), Nuno Borges (2019) and Florian Broska (2022) as Bulldogs that have been bestowed that honor.

Ramskogler wrapped up his final year in Maroon and White with a 17-12 singles record and a 16-10 mark in doubles. During the year, he became State’s all-time leader with 64 career dual match doubles victories and ranks third all-time in the school’s annals with 86 overall doubles wins.

Ramskogler finished his career with 165 total victories (11^th most at MSU) and is the first Bulldog to receive the ITA Most Improved Senior award for the Southern Regional.

For more information on the Bulldog men’s tennis program, visit HailState.com or search for “HailStateMT” on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

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