Nov. 12, 2014
Vanderbilt men’s tennis senior, Gonzales Austin, was honored with the USTA/ITA Sportsmanship Award on Saturday at the USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships. The tournament was hosted by Columbia University last week at the home of the US Open, the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
“Now that I’m a senior, I know that everyone deserves respect,” said Austin. “Anybody out there really has an opportunity to beat you every day, and that’s something I have a deep appreciation for. That really helps you appreciate the wins more and you can get over the losses knowing that. I’m super competitive, I’m competitive as anyone out there. But I’m honored that the coaches and officials voted for me. I’m really thankful for that, really appreciative.”
The Sportsmanship award is voted on by coaches who attended the NIIC, one of the most elite tournaments of the fall. On top of being awarded this special honor, Austin was a singles finalist and as well as doubles semifinalist alongside partner Rhys Johnson.
