COLLEGE STATION, Texas ? The Intercollegiate Tennis Association announced Tuesday that Boise State senior Clancy Shields has been awarded the 2009 ITA/Rafael Osuna Sportsmanship Award. The award is a national award given to an athlete who displays outstanding sportsmanship, character, excellent academics and has outstanding tennis accomplishments. Shields, along with seven additional NCAA Division I men’s tennis award winners were announced at The Zone Club/Kyle Field on the campus of Texas A&M University.
The ITA/Rafael Osuna Sportsmanship Award is the ITA's longest-running award and goes to a Division I men's player. The award was established in 1969 in memory of Rafael Osuna, who was killed in a plane accident at the age of 30. Osuna is one of the all-time great collegiate tennis players, winning three NCAA doubles titles (1961-63) and the '62 NCAA singles title as part of USC teams many consider to be the greatest of all-time.
As the only returning starter from last year’s team, Shields helped lead his squad to this year’s Round of 16 at the NCAA Championships. He is currently ranked No. 24 in the nation in singles and has compiled a record of 27-8 on the season. The 2009 WAC Conference Player of the Year has been named first team All-WAC and WAC Scholar Athlete three times.
Shields also earned the Mountain Region’s ITA/John Van Nostrand Memorial Award while freshman James Meredith snagged the 2009 ITA Rookie Player of the Year Mountain Region honor, going to the region’s top newcomer.
After a stellar season and the highest national ranking in the WAC, the senior earned an automatic bid to play in the NCAA Singles Championship. Shields was among the field of 64 to compete in the singles tournament in College Station, Texas. He was downed No. 50 Roy Kalmanovich of Illinois, 6-2, 6-1 on Wednesday in the first round of play.