MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. - NC Wesleyan University men's tennis senior athlete Jhonny Acosta was named as the 2021-22 Male Athlete of the year, the NCWU athletics department announced this week.
*This award honors an athlete's athletic achievements only and is separate from the Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year award which Acosta also won and was announced last week.
All-American Jhonny Acosta helped the men's tennis team win their 13th straight USA South Regular Season title and their 12th straight conference championship. Acosta finished the year 22-7 on the season and became an All-American this season with his ITA Fall Regional Title in September as well as his top 8 finish at Nationals where he went 2-1 fallng to the eventual national champion in the Quarterfinals.
Acosta, the third ranked national player all season, won three USA South Conference Player of the Week awards this season and was named the USA South Player of the Year. Acosta was seeded 6th at the individual national tournament in May while he was also named to the USA South All-Conference and All-Tournament teams and was the top ranked player in the Atlantic South Region for the entire season.
Acosta is the reigning ITA South Region Champion, USA South Team Champion and Conference Player of the Year and helped lead his Bishops to a final ranking of 8th in the nation.
"Jhonny is always the first at practice and the last to leave," coach Albie Brice commented. "His effort in practice and matches always reflects his best effort and his work serves and the measure for all the other players.
"Jhonny has demonstrated wonderful leadership as Captain of the Men's tennis Team," commented coach rice. "He demonstrates a strong virtue of encouragement, while holding his teammates to the highest standard, both morally and competitively."
Acosta, a native of Ita, Paraguay, recently graduated with his Bachelor Degree in Business Administration and computer Information Systems in May of 2022.
Jhonny was also the ITA National Player of the Week in 2021 and the Wesleyan Team MVP for the past three seasons. His doubles team with JP Vallejo and Diego Segovia was also ranked inside the top 10 in the region and top 20 in the nation most of the season as well.
"Jhonny represents himself, family, NCWU Athletics and community with honor and integrity;" said Brice. "It has been such an honor to coach and mentor him these last four years."
