The University of Florida women’s tennis team’s Dave Balogh and Lauren Embree (Marco Island, Fla.) were honored by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) as the ITA National Assistant Coach of the Year and ITA National Rookie of the Year, respectively, the organization announced.

Balogh primarily oversees the doubles teams, recruiting and scheduling but his hand print is on everything that pertains to the Gator women's tennis program that reached the 2010 NCAA Championship final. His tireless work-ethic helped bring the nation's No. 1-ranked recruiting class to Gainesville for the 2009-10 season. A four-year letterwinner of the University of Florida men's tennis program, Balogh joined the Gator women's tennis team as an assistant coach on July 1, 2000. At the end of the 2001-02, Balogh was recognized by his peers as the 2002 ITA National Assistant Coach of the Year, becoming the first Gator coach to receive such an honor. During his tenure at UF, Balogh has helped the Gators capture the 2003 NCAA championship, six Southeastern Conference regular-season titles and six SEC Tournament crowns. This is the second time Balogh has received the national award, also being recognized in 2002. In 2006, he was voted by his peers as the ITA South Region award winner.

Embree, who finished No. 8 in the final ITA Singles Ranking, became the first freshman in Southeastern Conference history to be voted SEC Player of the Year. Embree compiled an overall singles record of 32-6 and a team-high tying 37-7 doubles record. She was 20-3 in dual match singles action, with all coming at the No. 1 position, providing the clinching point seven times, the most recent coming in the NCAA Team Semifinals with a 6-2, 1-6, 7-5 victory. She also sported a 24-3 dual match doubles record. On the doubles court, Embree ranked in the final poll with three different teammates among the nation’s best doubles teams.

Among the other honors Embree collected during her highly decorated and successful initial collegiate season included a spot on the 2010 NCAA All-Tournament Team for No. 1 Singles and No. 2 Doubles, as well as on the five-member SEC All-Freshman Team. Embree was voted First Team All-SEC, a three-time recipient of the SEC Freshman of the Week and collected the Gators Evelyn Pucket Most Improved Player honor.

Florida’s ITA/Wilson Assistant Coach of the Year Recipients (National and Regional)

Sujay Lama (1997-South Region)

Raja Chaudhuri (2000-South Region)

Dave Balogh (2002-National, 2006-South Region, 2010-National)

Florida’s ITA Rookie of the Year Recipients (National and Regional)

Dawn Buth (1995)

Amanda Basica (1997)

Halle Cioffi (1988)

Julia Cohen (2008, South Region)

Lindsay Dawaf (2001, South Region)

Lauren Embree (2010)

Lisa Raymond (1992)

Zerene Reyes (2002, South Region)

Shaun Stafford (1987)

-UF-