GREENSBORO, N.C. — After finishing ninth through the regular season and making a run to the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship quarterfinals earlier this month, three members of the Notre Dame men’s tennis team have been named to All-ACC teams as announced by the conference Thursday, April 25. Axel Nefve received second team honors, his first career ACC award while Richard Ciamarra and Alex Lebedev were tabbed third team honorees, the second All-ACC team honor for both.
“Congratulations to Axel, Richie, and Alex,” Callaghan Family Head Coach Ryan Sachire said. “Making an all-conference team in arguably the toughest league in the country is a great accomplishment.”
Newcomer to the team, Nefve, began his season in the footsteps of the veterans, learning from those around him and finding his place. Opening the spring season at No. 3 singles, Nefve proved to be a valuable member of the team and continued to step up when they needed him most. Midway through the season he took on the role of No. 1 singles where he combined for a 7-6 record. Over nationally ranked opponents, Nefve boasts four wins, including against teammate Guillermo Cabrera who was No. 118 when they met in the quarterfinals of the Dick Vitale Clay Court Invitational, No. 105 Nick Stachowiak and two over No. 64 Jason Kros of Virginia Tech.
“I couldn’t be more proud of the growth that Axel has made this year,” Sachire added. “Starting the year at No. 3 and then ultimately playing No. 1 for the majority of the ACC season is a tall task for a freshman to undertake. Axel grew from the challenge and has been playing the best tennis of his life down the stretch for us over the past six weeks. He has firmly planted himself amongst the best players in the ACC, and this recognition signifies that.”
Ciamarra, in his second year with the Irish, earned third-team All-ACC honors for his contribution through the 2018-19 season. At singles, Ciamarra led the team to key victories over Vanderbilt, Texas A&M and Virginia Tech while he and doubles partner Tristan McCormick went 6-4, including undefeated in conference play, and ranked as high as ninth in the country before injuries barred them from competing together again for the remainder of the regular season.
Lebedev ranked as high as 15th in the nation in singles following his win at the Oracle ITA Fall Nationals consolation round. In dual matches, Lebedev led the team with a 15-9 record on the top court including an undefeated record of 3-0 before suffering a season ending injury. Against nationally ranked opponents, Lebedev posts an 8-9 record since the fall season.
“For Alex and Richie to receive All-ACC honors speaks volumes to the reputations that each of them has throughout the conference, given the fact that they missed quite a few matches over the last half of the season. This achievement is a reflection of the work they have put in and what they have accomplished to this point in their college careers,” he concluded.
2019 ALL-ACC MEN’S TENNIS
Player of the Year: Carl Söderlund, Virginia
Freshman of the Year: Brandon Nakashima, Virginia
Coach of the Year: Andres Pedroso, Virginia
FIRST TEAM ALL-ACC
Lucas Poullain, Florida State
Carlos Divar, Georgia Tech
Alexis Galarneau, NC State
William Blumberg, North Carolina
Benjamin Sigouin, North Carolina
Carl Soderlund, Virginia
Brandon Nakashima, Virginia
Petros Chrysochos, Wake Forest
Borna Gojo, Wake Forest
SECOND TEAM ALL-ACC
Nick Stachowiak, Duke
Adria Soriano Barrera, Miami
Alex Knaff, Florida State
Igor Saveljic, NC State
Brian Cernoch, North Carolina
Axel Nefve, Notre Dame
Henrik Wiersholm, Virginia
Jason Kros, Virginia Tech
Bar Botzer, Wake Forest
THIRD TEAM ALL-ACC
Derek Austin, Boston College
Christopher Morin-Kougoucheff, Louisville
Simon Baudry, Clemson
Francisco Bastias, Miami
Josh Peck, North Carolina
Blaine Boyden, North Carolina
Richard Ciamarra, Notre Dame
Alex Lebedev, Notre Dame
Henrik Korsgaard, Virginia Tech