STANFORD, Calif. – Stanford led the Pac-12 with six selections to the conference's all-academic teams. Among the six selections are three first-team picks, led by Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year Sameer Kumar.
Kumar, senior Michael Genender and junior Jack Barber were first team selections, while fellow junior William Genesen and sophomore Axel Geller were second team picks. Sophomore Timothy Sah was an honorable mention selection.
In five years under Taube Family Director of Men's Tennis Paul Goldstein, Stanford has totaled a conference-leading 25 Pac-12 All-Academic honorees on the first and second team. The total is nine more than the next closest program. The Cardinal has placed at least three members on the first team for the third consecutive season. Stanford has led or tied for the conference lead in all-academic selections on the first and second teams for 10 consecutive seasons. Stanford has placed at least five individuals on the Pac-12 All-Academic teams each of the last three years.
Genender and Kumar earned first team all-academic selections all three years they were eligible for the honor, while Barber is a two-time first team all-academic pick.
Kumar, who carries a 3.92 cumulative grade-point average, was voted the Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year in April. He has also been an ITA Scholar-Athlete the past two seasons. The senior, who was ranked in the ITA poll for most of the season, finished 23-9 overall and 13-4 in his final year on The Farm. Kumar won all three of his singles matches in straight sets in the NCAA Championships. Among the many highlights of his senior campaign was the clincher at USC in February to give the Cardinal a 4-3 come-from-behind victory over the Trojans in Los Angeles. He completed his Cardinal career 32nd in program history with 46 career victories in dual competition. Kumar teamed with Sah in doubles, finishing with 14 wins in dual play during the spring.
Genender boasts a 3.96 grade-point average, majoring in Science, Technology and Society. He completed his senior season 16-8 overall with a 7-4 mark in dual action. The senior finished his career with consecutive wins, including a victory in the second round of the NCAA Championships against UC Santa Barbara. Genender has been named an ITA Scholar-Athlete each of the last two seasons as well.
Barber, an ITA Scholar-Athlete the previous two seasons, owns a 3.92 grade-point average as a Science, Technology and Society major. He has competed in nearly every dual match, primarily teaming with Genesen at No. 3 doubles. The duo is 5-3 on the season. Barber also owns a 5-3 overall record in singles, including a 3-1 mark in dual play.
Geller earned Pac-12 All-Academic honors in his first year of eligibility for the award. Ranked in the top-25 in the ITA poll in singles all season, the sophomore entered the NCAA Championships ranked No. 13. He owns a 17-7 overall record and finished the season 10-6 in dual action as Stanford's No. 1 player. Geller was a First Team All-Pac-12 selection, earning all-conference honors for the second time in as many seasons. He was selected to play in the NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships for the second straight season. He will participate in the singles competition and team with Alexandre Rotsaert in the doubles tournament next week on the USTA Campus in Orlando, Florida. The sophomore has competed at No. 1 doubles as well, owning a 13-6 overall mark with Rotsaert.
Genesen was named to the Pac-12 All-Academic team for the first time. The Science, Technology and Society major completed his junior season with a 16-7 overall record. He boasted an 11-3 dual mark this spring, playing at either the No. 2 or No. 3 spot in the Cardinal lineup. He has been ranked in the ITA poll for most of the season, entering the NCAA Championships with a ranking of No. 91. Highlighting Genesen's standout junior season were a pair of three-set clinchers in 4-3 victories at California in the regular season and against Arizona in the Pac-12 Championships. He primarily played with Barber in doubles, owning a 5-3 dual mark.
Sah matched Kumar for the most overall wins this season, boasting a 23-9 record. He was 14-7 in dual action, winning each of his last three decisions. The sophomore, who played primarily at No. 5 or No. 6 in the Stanford lineup, provided the clincher in the win over UC Santa Barbara in the second round of the NCAA Championships. He played with Kumar in doubles, owning a 15-9 overall record, including a 13-8 dual mark.
To be eligible for selection to the academic team, student-athletes must have a minimum 3.0 overall grade-point average, be at least a sophomore in school, and participate in at least half of their team's scheduled regular-season events.
Stanford completed the 2019 season 19-7 overall with a No. 12 ITA ranking. The Cardinal advanced to the Round of 16, dropping a 4-2 decision to host Virginia in the NCAA Super Regional in Charlottesville, Virginia, this past Saturday.
