COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS – University of Georgia head coach Jeff Wallace received the Wilson/ITA National Coach of the Year award while Bulldog freshman Chelsey Gullickson earned National Rookie of the Year honors, the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) announced here Tuesday.

Wallace is the first-ever four-time recipient of the national coaching honor after winning it in 1991, 1994, 2000 and now 2009. This year, the second-ranked Bulldogs posted a 27-3 record and advanced to the NCAA tennis “Final Four” for the 10^th time in his 24 seasons at the helm. The 2009 Bulldog squad captured the Southeastern Conference title, their third straight SEC Tournament title, reached the finals of the National Team Indoors and made their 23^rd consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Wallace’s career record is 527-127 with two NCAA titles and three National Team Indoor crowns.

“This is more of a statement of what the team has done and what my assistant Frank Polito has helped me accomplish, I look at it as a huge honor and a team award,” said Wallace. “I am proud to represent the University of Georgia program.”

Gullickson is enjoying one of the finest freshman seasons ever by a Bulldog. This is the latest accolade for Gullickson who has already earned All-America and All-SEC honors and been named the SEC Freshman of the Year. She is only the second Bulldog in school history to be named ITA National Rookie of the Year, joining Shannan McCarthy who won it in 1989 after an All-America campaign when she went 46-15.

Currently, Gullickson is ranked ninth nationally in singles with a 39-9 record and sixth in doubles with freshman Nadja Gilchrist. They are 13-4 as a tandem.

“Chelsey has proven to be a prime time player, and it’s no surprise she is the National Rookie of the Year,” said Wallace. “It’s a big honor for her and a great choice. She has won all her matches in our biggest events, at the National Team Indoors where she was named MVP, at the SEC Tournament and here during the NCAA team tournament. She’s had an amazing year for anybody, especially as a freshman.”

“I was real excited to receive the award, I knew before the NCAA Tournament that I needed to do well here to help the team,” said Gullickson. “It hurt for our team to lose in the semifinals Monday, so I’m approaching the singles and doubles here as the biggest tournament of the season. I don’t want to have that same feeling I had Monday so we’ll see what happens.”

The ITA national award winners for NCAA Division I tennis were recognized during a ceremony at The Zone Club/Kyle Field on the campus of Texas A&M University, site of this year’s NCAA Tennis Championships.

The 2009 ITA national award winners are:

Wilson/ITA National Coach of the Year – Jeff Wallace, Georgia

ITA National Assistant Coach of the Year – (co-winners) Oliver Foreman, Florida State and Damon Coupe, Washington

ITA National Senior Player of the Year – Kelcy Teft, Notre Dame

ITA National Rookie of the Year – Chlesey Gullickson, Georgia

ITA National Player to Watch – Kristy Frilling, Notre Dame

ITA/Arthur Ashe Jr. Award for Leadership and Sportsmanship – Dunja Antunovic, DePaul
ITA /Cissie Leary Award for Sportsmanship – Kerstin Pahl, Western Michigan