ITA Rookie of the Year Award
Advik Mareedu from Claremont-Mudd-Scripps has been named the 2023 ITA Rookie of the Year.
Mareedu has played from the No. 1 singles position, and No. 1 thru No. 3 doubles positions for the No. 6 ranked Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Stags.
As a freshman, he won the Division III ITA West Regional Singles Championship and then advanced to the ITA Cup, where he won the National Championship and became the No. 1 ranked singles player in Division III.
He is 30-6 overall at the No. 1 singles position, with four wins against ranked Division II opponents and a 22-4 record against Division III opponents. He has been the No. 1 ranked singles player in the West all season.
In doubles he is 18-12 overall, having played at all three positions with four different partners. In his first year, he has become known for his great sportsmanship and positive disposition on court no matter what the score is, or who his opponent is.
A Letter From Head Coach Paul Settles
Dear Advik,
I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to you in winning the ITA Rookie of the Year award. In doing so, you have created a special place in CMS Stags Tennis history, joining Nikolai Parodi (2017) as only the second Stag ever to be awarded this elite accolade.
As you know, it’s not easy to play at the top singles position, because every opponent you face over the course of the season will present a formidable challenge. You were not only the best in Division III throughout the dual match season, but you also failed to drop a singles set against four of the best Division II No. 1 players. Your run in the ITA Regionals and ITA Cup in the fall was nothing short of extraordinary, losing only one set in nine matches en route to the No. 1 Division III ITA ranking.
Much more impressive and important to me than your results, was the way in which you competed Advik. You played loose and happy and for your teammates, putting sportsmanship and team above anything that you accomplished individually. You demonstrated a mature leadership well beyond your limited experience in collegiate tennis. In short, you were an exemplary representation of CMS Stags Tennis, all in your first year.
On behalf of your teammates and coaches, congratulations Advik.
Coach Settles