ITA Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship Award
Sam Riffice from the University of Florida has been named the 2022 ITA Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship Award Winner.
Boasting the highest cumulative GPA on the Florida men’s tennis team of 3.76 as a Political Science major, senior captain Sam Riffice has done nothing but excel in both academics and athletics since he’s been on Florida’s campus.
Academically, Riffice is a three-time member of the SEC Honor Roll (2019-21), three-time ITA All-Academic selection (2019-21), and was the first player in program history to be named CoSIDA Academic All-America Second Team (2021).
In addition, the Gator was named CoSIDA Academic All-District, was a 2021 Division I Men’s Tennis ITA Scholar-Athlete, is a five-time Dean’s List member, made the 2020-21 Community Service Team and is a four-year tennis representative on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Riffice was recently awarded the 2022 SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year honor, making him only the second player in Florida Men's Tennis history to win it.
Athletically, Riffice has played the majority of his career at No. 2 singles and No. 1 doubles. He captained the team to its first ever NCAA championship title last season, and in addition, became only the ninth player in the 21st century to earn both a team and a singles national championship in the same season.
Making the NCAA All-Tournament team in both singles and doubles in 2021, Riffice is also a three-time SEC champion (2019, 2021-22) and one-time SEC Tournament champion (2022). A four-time All-American in singles (2019-21) and doubles (2020), the Gator has racked up many accolades throughout his career. Riffice earned the title of team captain as a freshman in 2018 and has held that title in his tenure with the Gators, becoming the first Florida player in program history to do so.
He sits at 10th all-time in single-season singles wins with 32 (2020-21 season) and currently has a career total of 93 singles wins and 73 doubles victories. In the 2021-22 season, Riffice is 19-5 in singles, 12-0 in SEC play and totals 15 doubles wins at court one.
A Letter From Head Coach: Bryan Shelton
Dear Sam,
Congratulations on being the recipient of the Arthur Ashe Leadership Award. I had the privilege of meeting Arthur on a number of occasions and he is someone who inspired me to pursue tennis. Arthur approached life and tennis with quiet confidence, but his leadership was undeniable.
I have witnessed some of the same characteristics in you Sam, and I am so proud to have coached you at the University of Florida. Your example of how to become a selfless leader has been on display from the time you stepped on campus four years ago.
Thanks for what you do to make our sport great and also for the impact that you have had on my life and our program. I know you will continue to do great things. As you continue on your journey, I am confident that you will make a difference each step of the way.
I’m thankful that you received this award and I can’t think of a more deserving recipient.
Wish you continued success.
Sincerely, Coach