May. 2, 2005
WASHINGTON, DC - Georgetown's men's tennis team held its 2004-2005 Awards Dinner at the Filomena Restaurant in Georgetown on Sunday, May 1. The Hoyas completed the season with a fifth place finish at the BIG EAST Conference Championship and an overall record of 7 wins and 8 losses. Individual athletic and academic awards were announced and presented following the dinner.
Academically, Hoya Tennis student-athletes performed at the highest levels led by Georgetown senior standout Erik Bildman (Brookline, MA/Roxbury Latin) who is the Hoya Tennis nominee for the CoSIDA ESPN The Magazine Academic All American Team.
Hoya Tennis student athletes who have achieved a grade point minimum average of 3.50 for 2004-2005 and will be nominated for the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Academic All American Award are Bildman, Andrew Clayton (Salt Lake City, UT/Rowland Hall- St. Mark's), John Doyle (Yardley, PA/St. Joseph's Prep), Theodore Tywang (Nashville, TN/Montgomery Bell Academy) and Alex Wright (Lexington, MA/University of St. Andrew's).
Bildman, Clayton, Doyle, Tywang and Wright will also be nominated for BIG EAST Conference Scholar Athlete honors along with teammates Eric Conrad (Gloucester, MA/St. John's Prep), Scott Faust (Miami, FL/Ransom Everglades), Kevin Killeavy (Indian Harbor Beach, FL/Melbourne Central Catholic), Scott Maucher (Mount Pleasant, NC/Bishop England) and Etienne Paris (Miami, FL/Ransom Everglades).
Head Tennis Coach Richard Bausch began announcing the individual awards by presenting the Most Improved Player to sophomore Killeavy. During the 2003-2004 season Killeavy produced a record of 8-12 at #3 singles. In 2004-2005, Killeavy went 8-3 at #3 and #4 singles and also picked up a big win in his appearance at #1 singles against the Naval Academy.
Assistant Coach Vince Pulupa presented the Captain's Award to junior Wright. Wright consistently set the bar high and reached it with his commitment to fitness training and incomparable work ethic in practice. Wright also stepped up in match play, picking up a significant win against Navy's #4 player.
Assistant Coach Nina Kamp presented the Comeback Player of the Year Award to freshman Etienne Paris. Mired in the #10 ladder position in the early stages of the season in January, Paris worked hard in practice and put himself in line-up contention three weeks later. And when Paris regained a starting singles position in mid-February, he produced solid play; ultimately achieving a team best winning percentage by singles position with a 6-2 record at #3 singles.
Coach Pulupa presented the Most Valuable Player Award to senior Bildman. Bildman held down the #1 doubles and #1 singles position through the spring season. No Hoya worked harder every day in practice and no Hoya was fitter than Bildman physically, mentally or emotionally. And Bildman used that fitness reserve to see him through many bruising battles as the Hoyas top singles and doubles player. Bildman produced a record of 2-3 in his play at #1 singles in BIG EAST matches and a record of 3-3 at #1 doubles in BIG EAST play.
Coach Kamp presented the Power of Control e.g. the Critical Situation Award to senior captain Bildman. Bildman came through when the Hoyas absolutely needed it the most, posting a career summary singles victory, 6-4,5-7,6-2 against Villanova's Kusza at the #1 singles position, to capture the Hoyas' clinching team point in that match and finish fifth in the 2005 BIG EAST Conference Championship. Bildman's hour of Power of Control came in his last match as a Georgetown Hoya tennis player; in the Hoyas last match of the season, as he played the last match on the court in the Hoyas battle with Villanova for fifth place in the 2005 BIG EAST Conference Championship. Despite the relative ease with which his teammates produced a 3-0 lead against the Wildcats, and the great likelihood that his own match would prematurely end when another teammates provided the fourth and clinching team point, the fourth point did not come as Villanova roared back to come from behind in three matches, winning all three, and knotting the team match score at 3-3. Bildman's task was no small one in that the same Wildcat opponent he was now facing in the penultimate match had beaten him badly in their regular season encounter only 3 ½ weeks earlier 0-6,2-6. Bildman won the first set 6-4 and had chances to close the match in the second set, but as was the case all day, Villanova found a way to respond when down, and the Wildcat's Kusza won the second set to force the finality of a third set as the match went into its third hour. Bildman summoned forth his best play and concentration, and in what would be his finest hour as a Hoya netter, notched two decisive breaks of serve while steadfastly holding his own serve. As the 8:00 pm hour approached with the sunshine dimming in the South Florida sky and the threat of play being suspended lingered, Bildman sprinted to his collegiate tennis career's finish line, winning the third set 6-2 and posting a 6-4,5-7,6-2 win to clinch the Hoyas fifth place finish in the 2005 BIG EAST Conference Championship. It would be Georgetown's highest Conference finish since 1994.
