STANFORD, Calif. – Four members of the No. 4 Stanford men's tennis program have been recognized with Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Regional Awards, announced by the group.
Stanford's Taube Family Director of Men's Tennis, Paul Goldstein, was honored as the ITA Northwest Region Coach of the Year for the second time in his career. He also captured the award in 2015.
Brandon Coupe, Stanford's James and Martha Poppy Associate Head Coach, was voted the ITA Northwest Region Assistant Coach of the Year.
Senior Tom Fawcett was recognized as the ITA Northwest Region Senior Player of the Year and freshman Axel Geller was honored as the ITA Northwest Region Rookie of the Year.
Goldstein and Coupe engineered Stanford's best season in 15 years in 2018. The Cardinal finished 22-4, earning a top-five ranking in the ITA poll for 13 consecutive weeks, and a No. 4 overall seed in the NCAA Championships. Stanford reached the second round of the NCAA Championships, posting its best win total (22) and winning percentage (.846) since the 2003 season. The Cardinal, ranked as high as No. 2 in the ITA poll during the season, finished second in the Pac-12 Conference with a 7-1 record.
Goldstein and Coupe coached a lineup that was highlighted by three ranked singles players and two ranked doubles teams throughout the season. Stanford posted its best regular-season record (20-2) since 2001 and registered a perfect 11-0 regular-season record at home. The Cardinal, which defeated 12 nationally-ranked opponents and recorded 11 shutouts on the year, reached the semifinals of the ITA National Indoor Championship.
A team captain, Fawcett has established himself among Stanford's all-time greats. He ranks 27th in program history in career dual victories (53). The senior earned his fourth bid to the NCAA Singles Championship in 2018. He earned All-America honors last season after reaching the semifinals of the 2017 NCAA Singles Championship. Fawcett ranks No. 9 in the latest Oracle/ITA singles poll. He owns a 20-4 record overall with an 11-4 dual mark as Stanford's top singles players.
Fawcett has defeated 10 nationally-ranked opponents this season, including four match wins against top-25 opponents. He recorded four clinching points this season against No. 22 Tulane, No. 5 USC, No. 10 Illinois and No. 4 Georgia, earning Pac-12 Player of the Week honors twice during the season.
Fawcett, and teammate Geller form the No. 32 doubles team in the latest Oracle/ITA doubles poll. He owns a 23-11 record in doubles overall, playing with Geller, Michael Genender, William Genesen and Timothy Sah.
Geller has had a standout first year on The Farm, earning an ITA national ranking in both singles and doubles. Playing with Fawcett, he earned a selection to the NCAA Doubles Championship in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Geller is ranked No. 83 in the latest Oracle/ITA singles poll and is ranked No. 32 with Fawcett in the latest Oracle/ITA doubles poll.
The freshman is 18-7 overall with a 16-6 record in dual play, playing all his matches at No. 1 or No. 2 in the Cardinal lineup. Geller defeated six nationally-ranked opponents, including No. 24 Johannes Schretter of Baylor (6-4, 6-3). He owns three match clinchers, including two against California and one against Army. Geller won his first eight dual matches, defeating six nationally-ranked opponents during that span. He captured wins in his first seven double matches playing with Fawcett.
Goldstein, Coupe, Fawcett and Geller are now candidates for ITA National Awards, which will be announced later in May.
