SKILLMAN, NJ – Christopher Newport men’s tennis head coach Rush Cole was named the ITA’s National Coach of the Year.
Cole was recently named the Atlantic-South’s Coach of the Year, also by the ITA. He guided his team to the program’s first national ranking and first win over a nationally ranked team.
Cole also led his team to the USA South’s regular season and tournament titles in 2008. For his efforts, he was named the USA South’s Coach of the Year, the fourth time he’s taken home the award.
The men’s tennis team was also honored as March’s winner of the ITA’s National Team Sportsmanship Award. Sportsmanship and fair play are considered important in college tennis due to the fact that the players make their own calls during a match. Haverford’s men’s tennis coach nominated the Captains for the award after CNU traveled to Pennsylvania for a dual match that ended up being moved indoors.
Cole also takes his team for visits to An Achievable Dream Academy to read and teach tennis. An Achievable Dream (AAD) is a partnership between the business community and Newport News (VA) Public Schools to give children who are at risk of failure in school due to multiple social risk factors a chance to succeed. AAD offers children in grades kindergarten through 12th a quality education in a nurturing environment; the opportunity to develop meaningful relationships with caring adults; and the chance to take part in engaging enrichment activities during both the academic day and hours spent outside of school (courtesy of the An Achievable Dream website).
The Captains were 12th at the end of the 2007 season and then finished the year 6th in the region, the largest jump in the country.