ITA Most Improved Senior Award honors a senior who showed the most improvement over the course of their collegiate career.
Aurel has been one of the hardest-working players. His freshman year was delayed due to him being required to have hip surgery. In his sophomore year, he came back from the injury to play top three in our line-up. Now this year as a Senior he has mostly played No. 3 singles and No. 2 doubles. This year he is 7-2 in singles with his only 2 losses coming to the current No. 1 player in the country from Barry (Giuliato) and the former No. 1 player in the country from last year (Ibanez), also from Barry. In doubles, he is ranked No. 15 in the country and in singles No. 21 in the country.
A note from Saint Leo Men's Tennis Head Coach, Chad Berryhill
When you came to campus on a visit as a senior in high school from Montreal, I knew I had a special player upon meeting you and watching you play. You have no idea to this day how excited I was to have you join our Saint Leo Lion tennis program! Now looking at the completion of your college tennis career and capping it off finishing as the No. 3 team in the country and for yourself being named the ITA Most Improved Senior, I could not be prouder of you. I always admired your approach to the game, your approach to practice, and how you were a leader by example with your teammates. You also were a fierce and intense competitor who made your teammates better and really set the tone of our team during matches. I will definitely miss seeing your reactions to winning big points of the team. We also both know the trial and tribulations you went through during your college career from having to deal with hip surgery during your freshman year, having a season canceled abruptly due to COVID-19, and then having a senior year following many COVID protocols. And through all of those examples, you handled them like a professional and with a smile on your face and with the perfect attitude. Again, I could not be more proud of you and I feel very fortunate to have been able to have you be part of our program. You deserve this award and you are most deserving! Congrats on being named the ITA National Most Improved Senior!