STARKVILLE — The Intercollegiate Tennis Association announced its 2026 Regional Awards Tuesday, honoring four members of the Mississippi State men’s tennis team. The Bulldogs received awards in the Southern Regional category, including two for players and one for an assistant coach.
Benito Sanchez Martinez was named the Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship Award recipient and the Senior Player of the Year. The senior finished his season with a 28-11 singles record and was named SEC Player of the Year. Sanchez Martinez also earned First Team All-SEC honors and was ranked No. 8 nationally in singles. He is the fifth Bulldog to win the Southern Regional Senior Player of the Year award, joining Artem Ilyushin, Nuno Borges, Florian Broska and Ewen Lumsden.
Petar Jovanovic received the Rafael Osuna Sportsmanship Award and was recognized for his third consecutive First Team All-SEC honor and second straight ITA All-American nod. The senior has accumulated 202 career wins and finished the season with a 29-10 singles record. Jovanovic reached a career-high No. 6 national ranking and was ranked No. 1 in doubles alongside Sanchez Martinez.
Assistant coach Trevor Gotkowski was named the ITA Assistant Coach of the Year. It is his second season with the Bulldogs, helping lead the team to back-to-back 25-win seasons and NCAA Quarterfinal appearances. Mississippi State finished the season ranked No. 6 nationally. This marks the second year in a row that a Bulldog assistant coach has won the award, following Ole Miss head coach Jake Jacoby’s honor in 2025.
The Bulldogs continue to build on their successful season. For updates, follow MSU Men’s Tennis on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram under the handle “HailStateMT.”
