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Blackman Named Patriot League Coach of the Year for Third Straight Year
Eagles place four on the Patriot League All-League Teams

AU Men's Tennis coach Martin Blackman has been honored as the Patriot League Coach of the Year for the past three years.

May 12, 2004

WASHINGTON -American University Head Men’s Tennis Coach Martin Blackman has garnered his third-straight Patriot League Coach of the Year honor, after leading the program to a third Patriot League Championship title and NCAA berth, the league announced Wednesday.

In his tenure at American, Blackman has transformed the program, leading them to an impressive 62-37 overall record and an 16-2 league record. A former ATP player, Blackman is the first-ever American University coach to be named Patriot League Coach of the Year for all three years, since joining the league.

Also honored by the league, the Eagles placed seniors Tushar Garg (Mumbai, India / Bradenton Academy), Jonah Fliegelman (Philadelphia, Pa. / Central) and Guillaume Tarralle (Paris, France / French International School) on the First Team, while sophomore Juancarlo Vazquez (San Juan, Puerto Rico/Centre Educativo de Superior Vocational/Saint John’s) earned a spot on the Second Team.

Garg, an All-League selection in 2003, led the Eagles all season, playing in both the No. 1 singles and doubles position, in addition to breaking the AU record for career doubles victories.

Fliegelman, also having a spectacular season, went on a 12-match winning streak and moved from the No. 5 singles position to the No. 2 spot. Clinching the Eagles victory in the finals of the Patriot League tournament, Fliegelman raised his season record to 15-5, the best overall record for the squad.

Also joining Fliegelman and Garg on the First Team is Tarralle, the Patriot League tournament Most Valuable Player. Tarralle played in all of the top-three singles positions for the Eagles, posting an 11-9 overall record and a 6-2 league record.

Rounding out the Eagle’s All-League honors, Vazquez was placed on the All-League Second Team and will represent the Eagles in the fourth singles position at the NCAA tournament, May 14. He will also pair up with Tarralle in the second doubles spot, where they posted a 11-7 overall record.

American University, which fields a 19-sport NCAA Division I athletics program featuring 10 women’s sports and nine for men, completed its third year of membership in the Patriot League. Since joining the Patriot League, the University has captured league championships in men’s cross country, women’s cross country, women’s lacrosse, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, men’s tennis, women’s tennis, field hockey and women’s volleyball, and two regular-season titles in men’s basketball.