Men's Tennis | 5/13/2026 4:58:00 PM
TEMPE, Ariz. - The Intercollegiate Tennis Association announced the recipients of the 2026 Division II men's Regional Awards. Every year, the ITA recognizes coaches and players for their excellence on the court and in their communities throughout the season.
The Division II regional awards include: ITA/Dunlop Coach of the Year, ITA Assistant Coach of the Year, Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship, ITA Rookie of the Year, ITA Most Improved Player, ITA Senior Player of the Year, ITA Player to Watch, and ITA Community Service Award.
Barry's Yan Kodjoed was named the ITA most improved player of the year, while the associate head coach of men's tennis, Frederic Bonal, was named the ITA assistant coach of the year.
Kodjoed, who won the ITA Regional and the ITA Cup, as well as helping the Bucs to a Sunshine State Conference regular season and tournament titles, is the first Buc to be named the ITA Most Improved Player of the year. He went 12-4 at the top two singles flights, earning the No. 1 ranking for most of the year, then dropping to No. 2 in the final week of the rankings. In doubles, he played at the bottom flight, going 11-5 with partner Antonin Chapuis.
For Bonal, it is his third time being named assistant regional coach of the year (2014, 2021). He helped lead the team to a 22-0 record, 9-0 in the SSC. The Bucs were ranked No. 1 and No. 2 for most of the year and advanced to the finals of the NCAA Regional Tournament, where they defeated Saint Leo to advance to the NCAA DII Championship.
The national award winners will be announced in June.
ABOUT BARRYU MEN'S TENNIS
Barry has been one of the top teams in NCAA Division II over the last 30+ years. The Bucs have advanced to the NCAA Tournament 20 times, including making the finals 26 times. They have won the national championship in NCAA D-II seven times. The Buccaneers have had 67 ITA All-Americans players, including ITA singles champs Herbert Bende (1995), Christian Witt (2000), Emanuel Fraitzl (2010) and Alejandro Ibañez Gallego (2019).
