KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Head Coach Alison Ojeda, associate head coach Matias Marin, senior Sofia Cabezas and senior Esther Adeshina earned Intercollegiate Tennis Association Ohio Valley Region Honors, the ITA announced on Wednesday.
Ojeda was named the Ohio Valley Region Coach of the Year, Marin was selected as the Ohio Valley Region Assistant Coach of the Year, Cabezas earned Ohio Valley Region Senior Player of the Year and Ohio Valley Region Most Improved Player, while Adeshina garnered the Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship award, with the team earning honorable mention recognition to the ITA Community Service team.
Ojeda, the Ohio Valley Wilson ITA Coach of the Year, guided the Lady Volunteers to one of the most monumental seasons in program history. In her eighth year as head coach, Ojeda achieved 22 wins, the highest number of victories during her tenure. The Lady Vols have now produced back-to-back seasons of at least 21 victories for the first time since 2002-03. It’s the winningest two-year stretch for the program since the 2002 and 2003 seasons.
Throughout the 2024 campaign, Ojeda’s team has triumphed over 12 ranked opponents, including seven in the top-25. Notably, snapping No. 1 Oklahoma State’s 29-match winning streak, securing a 4-2 victory to advance to the NCAA Elite Eight for the first time since 2010.
Ojeda has now claimed coach of the year honors for the second year in a row and for the fourth time in her coaching tenure (2019, 2021, 2023, 2024). This marks the eighth time in program history that the Coach of the Year award has belonged to the Lady Vols.
“This award is so deserved for Alison,” sophomore Catherine Aulia said. “She believed in us when we didn’t believe in ourselves. Her enthusiasm and passion for the sport is a big reason why we are all so motivated and love playing for her. “
Marin, the ITA Ohio Valley Assistant Coach of the Year, has made a remarkable impact in his inaugural year as an assistant coach for the Lady Volunteers. Since joining the program in June 2023, Marin has played a crucial role in the development of two All-Americans, marking the program’s first since 2013.
Marin’s influence extends beyond coaching, as he played a crucial role in recruiting the No. 13 ranked recruiting class in the nation, according to the 2024 Winter recruiting class rankings, powered by Tennis Recruiting Network. Marin has also been instrumental in establishing Esther Adeshina, the recipient of the…
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