May 14, 2007
SKILLMAN, N.J. - During last week's NCAA Division II Men's and Women's Tennis National Championships, several Argonaut men's and women's tennis players received recognition from the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. The awards were presented at a banquet for the final 16 men's and women's tennis teams from Division II.
Dante Bottini (Buenos Aires, Argentina) was named the ITA South Region Senior of the Year. He joins Radovan Chrz (2004) as the only Argonauts to win the award. Bottini, who transferred from Drury University, posted a 15-4 singles record and a 24-4 mark in doubles. Bottini finished the season ranked sixth in singles and second in doubles.
For the fifth time, head coach Derrick Racine was named the ITA/NCAA Division II South Region Men's Tennis Coach of the Year. He also earned the award in 2001-03 and 2005. Racine led top-ranked West Florida to a 27-4 record, the fifth consecutive season of at least 25 wins. He also directed West Florida to the national semifinals for the fifth consecutive season. Racine has totaled a 227-44 (.837) record over nine seasons with the Argonauts.
Two Argonaut women's tennis players also earned awards. Mandy Septoe (Port Elizabeth, South Africa) was named the ITA South Region Senior Player of the Year. Septoe is the fourth Argonaut in the last six years to earn the award. She finished the season ranked 45th in singles with 10 victories. In doubles, Septoe teamed with Tammy Kevey (Auckland, New Zealand) to form the fourth-ranked doubles team in the nation. Septoe also earned her second consecutive All-Gulf South Conference First Team honor. The duo finished the season with a 21-5 record. Septoe ended her two-year West Florida career with a 27-15 singles record and a 44-10 mark in doubles.
Kevey was award the ITA South Region Arthur Ashe Jr. Award for Leadership and Sportsmanship. She is the fifth Argonaut to earn the prestigious honor. The award is presented annually to a student-athlete in each of eight regions of Division II who uphold the qualities of sportsmanship set forth by Arthur Ashe. Kevey finished the season ranked 15th in singles with a team-high 21 victories. She also posted 23 doubles wins, 21 with Septoe. Kevey was named to her second straight All-GSC First Team.
