Cannon Kingsley has made quite an impression in his first season on the Ohio State tennis team, earning Rookie of the Year honors from the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.
Kingsley is the first player in program history to receive the honor, and also became just the fourth freshman in Ohio State history to become an All-American.
“My first year at Ohio State was everything I could have asked for,” Kingsley said in a press release. “We didn’t get an opportunity to achieve our team goals, but for me personally, I achieved some things that I will remember for the rest of my life. Receiving this award shows me that I’m right there with the top tennis players in the country, but also that I need to improve so much more in order to maintain that status. I can’t wait back to work with the coaches and my teammates and make strides to become the best team in the country next season.
“I would not be where I am without my seniors and captains, who pushed me to put in work every single day no matter what. There’s no better feeling than playing for the “O” on my chest.”
Kingsley held a 22-1 combined record in dual matches (12-1 singles, 10-0 doubles), while also finishing with an overall 19-3 record in singles matches. One of those wins came against top-ranked Daniel Cukierman in Ohio State’s victory over No. 1 USC.
Those efforts made Kingsley a unanimous selection for First Team All-Big Ten in his first year with the Buckeyes.
“Cannon was having a tremendous season when it ended due to the virus,” director of tennis Ty Tucker said. “This big time award will soften the blow of a lost season. Cannon certainly deserves this award because he played well from start to finish. He won in his very first tournament in September and also had a top-10 win in March just before the season ended. He had a number of wins over ranked opponents this year and he’s only going to get better.”
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Ohio State Athletics
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