TEMPE, Ariz. - Led by Southwestern University head coach Billy Porter being named the 2021 NCAA Division III Women’s Tennis West Region Coach of the Year, the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) garnered several regional honors it was announced this week by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA).
In addition to coach Porter’s honor, Southwestern assistant head coach Chas Mayer was named West Region Assistant Coach of the Year, Trinity University’s Megan Flores was honored as the West Region Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship Award honoree and teammate Zoe Kaffen collected the Most Improved Senior honor for the West Region.
Porter and Mayer helped guide the Pirates to a 17-5 record, going undefeated against Division III opponents through the regular season and conference tournament to win the first SCAC championship in program history and finish the year as the 10th-ranked team in the final ITA rankings.
By winning the SCAC championship, the Pirates earned the program's first NCAA Tournament bid, advancing to the Elite 8, where they fell to eventual national champion Emory University.
Flores, a junior from Houton, Texas, played most of the year at the No. 2 singles line for the Tigers and finished the season with an impressive 11-5 mark in double with her partner Cate Cushing, that included a 7-4 record as the top doubles paring. The ITA Arthur Ashe Jr. Leadership and Sportsmanship Award recognizes outstanding student-athletes in all five divisions (NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA and JUCO) at the regional and national level. This prestigious award, which dates back to 1982, is presented to the men's and women's national student-athletes who have exhibited outstanding sportsmanship and leadership, as well as scholastic, extracurricular and tennis achievements.
Kaffen, a San Juan Capistrano, Calif. native, was named the SCAC Player-of-the-Year and earned All-American status this year following her victory in the opening round of the 2021 NCAA Division III individual singles tournament this past May. Kaffen finished the season with a 7-7 record in singles action and teamed up with her sister Mary to post an outstanding 12-5 mark in doubles on her way to earning the most improved senior honor in the West Region.
To view the entire ITA regional honors, click here.
