University Southern California Trojans
Steve Johnson Named ITA National Player of the Year
June 09, 2011 | Men's Tennis
June 9, 2011
USC junior Steve Johnson has been named the 2011 Campbell/ITA National Men's College Player of the Year, the ITA announced today. Johnson is the fourth Trojan to win the award, and makes it back-to-back top honors as he follows Robert Farah's 2010 selection.
The Campbell/ITA National College Player of the Year awards are given to one male and one female singles player who has had the most outstanding year in college tennis. The collegiate players will once again be recognized at the 2011 International Tennis Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on July 9 in Newport, R.I. during the Campbell's Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, July 4-10.
Steve Johnson is well on his way to becoming one of the most decorated American college varsity players. Holding down the top spot in the Campbell/ITA National College Tennis Rankings throughout the entire 2010-11 season, Steve made it to the finals of the two biggest National Championships on the season, capturing the NCAA Singles title after finishing the season on a 35-match win-streak, avenging his ITA National Indoor Championship loss to Tennessee's Rhyne Williams with a three-set comeback win for the NCAA crown. Johnson also won the fall's ITA All-American Championships Singles Consolation title. In addition to being named the Campbell/ITA National Player of the Year, Johnson's other accolades this year included the NCAA Team Championship's Most Outstanding Player and 2011 Pac-10 Player of the Year (conference singles and doubles champion). Individual awards aside, Johnson has also been a member of the three-time National NCAA Champion USC Trojans, becoming the first USC player ever to win both the NCAA team and singles titles in the same year (since the dual-match format was used to determine national team champions in 1977).
Now a five-time All-American with three singles selections and two doubles picks, Johnson is the fourth USC men's player to be named the ITA National Player of the Year, following Robert Farah's victory in 2010. The last Trojan male to win the NCAA Singles Championship was Cecil Mamiit -- the 1996 Player of the Year. And Rick Leach was the first Trojan to win the award with 1986 honors. Johnson finished the 2010-11 collegiate season with 48-3 overall singles record (24-0 in dual matches) and a 27-10 overall doubles record (16-6 in dual matches).
In addition to the Campbell/ITA College Player of the Year awards, the Campbell Soup Company also serves as the title sponsor for the Campbell/ITA College Tennis Rankings.
"Campbell Soup Company is once again pleased to play a vital role in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association," said Jerry S. Buckley, Senior Vice President, Public Affairs, Campbell Soup Company. "College tennis players represent the best of college athletics and help promote tennis to young people across the country. Campbell has long been committed to encouraging young people to lead a healthy lifestyle, including getting an appropriate amount of exercise."
Johnson and Cal's Jana Juricova were named the 2011 Campbell/ITA National College Players of the Year. Additionally, Stanford's Hilary Barte and Mallory Burdette were named the Campbell/ITA National Women's Doubles Team of the Year, while John-Patrick Smith and Boris Conkic of Tennessee were honored on the men's side.
Past ITA National Men's Players of the Year:
2011
Steve Johnson, USC
2010
Robert Farah, USC
2009
Oleksandr Nedovyesov, Ok. State
2008
Somdev Devvarman, Virginia
2007
Somdev Devvarman, Virginia
2006
Benjamin Kohlloeffel, UCLA
2005
Benedikt Dorsch, Baylor
2004
Benedikt Dorsch, Baylor
2003
Amer Delic, Illinois
2002
Matias Boeker, Georgia
2001
Matias Boeker, Georgia
2000
Alex Kim, Stanford
1999
James Blake, Harvard
1998
Bob Bryan, Stanford
1997
Thomas Dupre, Mississippi State
1996
Cecil Mamiit, USC
1995
Sargis Sargsian, Arizona State
1994
Mark Merklein, Florida
1993
Chris Woodruff, Tennessee
1992
Alex O'Brien, Stanford
1991
Al Parker, Georgia
1990
Steve Bryan, Texas
1989
MaliVai Washington, Michigan
1988
Robbie Weiss, Pepperdine
1987
Richey Reneberg, SMU
1986
Rick Leach, USC
1985
Mikael Pernfors, Georgia
1984
Paul Annacone, Tennessee
1983
Greg Holmes, Utah
1982
Marcel Freeman, UCLA
1981
Tim Mayotte, Stanford
1980
Peter Rennert, Stanford
