CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Intercollegiate Tennis Association announced today (June 13) that senior Alexander Kiefer (The Woodlands, Texas) has been named the national recipient of the 2024 Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship Award.
The ITA Arthur Ashe Jr. Leadership and Sportsmanship Award recognizes outstanding student-athletes in all five divisions (NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA and JUCO) at the regional and national level. This prestigious award, which dates back to 1982, is presented to the men’s and women’s national student-athletes who have exhibited outstanding sportsmanship and leadership, as well as scholastic, extracurricular and tennis achievements in ways that embody the legacy of tennis icon and humanitarian Arthur Ashe Jr.
After appearing in just eight matches his freshman year, Kiefer worked hard to earn a spot in the Cavaliers’ lineup, posting a 10-2 record in singles in the fall of his sophomore year and earned a spot in the doubles lineup for the ACC Championship run. In his junior season, Kiefer entered the Cavaliers’ dual match singles lineup, going 10-0 in the ACC in singles play. During the NCAA Championship run, he won the clinching point in UVA’s semifinal win against No. 1 Texas and was voted to the NCAA All-Tournament team at No. 5 singles. This year, he posted his second-straight 20-win season in singles, including going 10-1 in conference play, giving him a combined ACC singles record of 20-1 in his junior and senior seasons. He consistently contributed in doubles, going 10-0 in dual matches during the regular season. Kiefer earned his degree from the McIntire School of Commerce in May 2024. He was voted the men’s tennis Teammate of the Year in 2023.
“Congratulations to Alex Kiefer,” said head coach Andres Pedroso. “He is the first player in our program’s history to have earned this great honor, and he did so by embracing all aspects of his student-athlete experience at the University of Virginia. Alex showed up to Charlottesville with very lofty goals, which included gaining acceptance into the UVA McIntire School of Commerce, as well as solidifying himself as a starting singles and doubles player on a national championship-caliber team. In the end, Alex graduated with a 3.5 GPA from our prestigious undergraduate business school, and he also played a vital role in our 2022 and 2023 NCAA Team Championships. Accomplishments such as these resulted from tremendous work ethic,…
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