Tempe, Ariz.----The Intercollegiate Tennis Association announced men's and women's tennis region awards Wednesday afternoon and the Bulldogs had both Southeast Region Rookies of the Year. Tolunay Sumer is the Men's Tennis Southeast Region Rookie of the Year, while Camilla Ciaccia earns Southeast Region Women's Tennis Rookie of the Year accolades.

"Camilla and Tolunay have made immediate impacts on their teams," head coach Michael Cabana says. "They have great work ethic and attitude. I am very proud of them both for being recognized and I look forward to watching them grow! I know they will accomplish much more during their Wingate careers." 

Sumer was named the 2019 South Atlantic Conference men's tennis Freshman of the Year, while also earning first team All-SAC singles honors. He became the third player in Wingate men's tennis history to earn SAC Freshman of the Year accolades.

Sumer finished his freshman season with a 14-4 record in singles play, going a perfect 9-0 against SAC opponents. He went 8-1 at number five singles, adding a 5-1 mark at four singles to along with a victory at number three singles. Sumer also compiled a 3-0 record in doubles play on the year. Sumer won the clincher in Wingate's 4-3 victory over fifth-ranked Lander, while also winning the clincher in the regular season 4-3 win over #21 Queens. The freshman went unbeaten over his final eight matches on the season, dropping only one set during that span.

Sumer helped lead the Bulldogs to a 20-5 season, going 20-3 against Division II opponents. Wingate won the SAC regular season and tournament titles, while climbing to as high as fifth in the ITA rankings, the highest in program history. The 'Dogs advanced to the NCAA Southeast Regional semifinals for the second straight year in 2019.

Ciaccia was named the Wingate University Freshman Female Athlete of the Year at the 2019 WUSPYS. She led the Bulldogs in singles victories in her first season at Wingate.

Ciaccia piled up 19 victories in 2019, going 19-1 on the season with a 10-0 mark against league opponents. She dropped just one set all season, coming against sixth-ranked Columbus State. The freshman also went 11-4 in doubles play in 2019. Ciaccia finished her freshman season by going unbeaten in her last 15 matches without dropping a set. She capped her season with a 6-2, 6-4 win over #12 North Georgia in the NCAA Southeast Regional semifinals.

Ciaccia helped lead the Bulldogs to another impressive season, going 21-2 on the year and capturing the SAC Tournament title. Wingate cracked the ITA top 10 for the first time in program history and earned the number one seed in the NCAA Southeast Regionals. The 'Dogs hosted the regionals for the second straight season.

Both student-athletes move onto the national Rookie of the Year ballots. The ITA will announce the national winners next Tuesday, May 21.

ABOUT THE ITA

The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) is committed to serving college tennis and returning the leaders of tomorrow. As the governing body of college tennis, the ITA oversees men's and women's varsity tennis at NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA and Junior/Community College divisions. The ITA administers a comprehensive awards and rankings program for men's and women's varsity players, coaches and teams in all divisions, providing recognition for their accomplishments on and off the court. For more information on the ITA, visit the ITA website at www.itatennis.com , like the ITA on Facebook or follow @ITA_Tennis on Twitter and Instagram.www.itatennis.com.

WINGATE UNIVERSITY
 
A comprehensive, independent and growing university, Wingate serves more than 3,600 students in North Carolina. Founded in 1896, the University offers 37 undergraduate majors as well as graduate and professional programs. Wingate is home to the Cannon College of Arts and Sciences, the Levine College of Health Sciences, the Byrum School of Business, the Thayer School of Education and the School of Sport Sciences. Wingate blends in-class exploration with out-of-class application to deliver an uncommon and life-changing educational experience.
 
In addition to a robust intramural athletics program, Wingate student athletes compete in 22 NCAA Division II sports. The University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past 13 years. Wingate is first in the 2000s among NCAA Division II and North Carolina's colleges and universities with 106 CoSIDA Academic All-America® selections. Wingate is tops among all SAC schools with 115 lifetime Academic All-America® honorees. For more information on WU athletics, go to www.wingatebulldogs.com. Current news and videos can be found at www.wingate.edu.