Three Earn All-America Honors

NORMAN – The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) announced its 2015 All-America Teams on Thursday, and three members of the Oklahoma men's tennis squad made the list.

Sophomore Andrew Harris earned All-America honors in singles, senior Dane Webb earned All-America honors in doubles and junior Axel Alvarez took home All-America honors in both singles and doubles.

It is a great effort by these three guys. It is a testament to their hard work and determination.
Head Coach John Roddick

“I'm very proud to have three All-Americans again,” head coach John Roddick said. “It is a great effort by these three guys. It is a testament to their hard work and determination.”

This marks the second straight year that Oklahoma has had three players named to the ITA All-America team. Last season Alvarez, Webb and former Sooner Guillermo Alcorta were all named to the singles team. The Sooners have now had seven players earn 14 ITA All-America honors in program history, 12 of which have come during Roddick's six-year tenure.

The honors are the second and third respectively for Alvarez, who becomes the second Sooner ever to be named to both the singles and doubles teams in the same year, joining Costin Paval who did it in 2012. The reigning Big 12 Player of the Year and collegiate No. 1 also becomes the second Sooner in program history to earn singles honors twice, joining Oliver Lorin who achieved the feat in 1987 and 1988.

Axel Alvarez celebrates after clinching a 4-3 win over TCU in the semifinals of the 2015 NCAA Division I Men's Tennis Team Championships. Alvarez is the first Sooner to ever be ranked No. 1 in singles by the ITA.

Alvarez is now one of three Sooners to take home three career All-America honors, joining Costin Paval (doubles 2010, 2012; singles 2012) and Webb. Alvarez went 39-6 in singles this season, with a 25-1 mark in dual play that included a 21-match win streak. Alvarez also became the first Sooner ever to be ranked No. 1 in singles by the ITA and the first ever to draw the No. 1 overall seed at the NCAA Singles Championship. Alvarez ranks third in program history in career singles wins with 103, trailing current leader Oliver Lorin by 42 wins.

The Asturias, Spain, native also had an impressive season in doubles, going a combined 30-12. Thirty wins is tied for second most in a single season behind his own record of 33 set last year.

The selection to the doubles team is the third All-America honor for Webb and his second in doubles. The Richardson, Texas native was named to the 2012 doubles team as a freshman and was named to the singles team just last year. The senior went 29-14 in doubles this season. Twenty-nine wins ties for fourth most in a singles season.

Dane Webb celebrates a point during the Sooners' NCAA Semifinal match with TCU. Webb leaves OU as the program's all-time leader in total wins.

Webb finished his career as the all-time Sooner leader in total wins with 212 and doubles wins with 108. Webb also finished second in program history in career singles wins with 104.

This marks the first All-America honor for Harris. The sophomore finished the season 18-7 in singles while splitting time at the No. 1 and No. 2 spots with Alvarez. Harris went 12-5 against ranked opponents in 2015 and was named the 2015 ITA Central Region Player to Watch, given annually to a player that is expected to be one of the top returning players in the nation. The Melbourne, Australia, native was the No. 4 overall seed for the NCAA Singles Championships and finished the season ranked No. 8 by the ITA.

Andrew Harris hits a forehand during the Sooners' regular season meeting with Oklahoma State. Harris was named the 2015 ITA Central Region Player to Watch.

To earn All-America honors in singles, a player must be one of the top 16 seeds in the NCAA Singles Championship, reach the round of 16 in the NCAA Singles Championship or finish in the top 20 of the final Oracle/ITA National Singles Rankings.

In doubles, a player must be one of the top eight seeds in the NCAA Doubles Championship, reach the quarterfinals in the NCAA Doubles Championship or finish in the top 10 of the final Oracle/ITA National Doubles Rankings.

For more information on Oklahoma Men's Tennis, follow the team on Twitter at @OU_MTennis.