TEMPE, Ariz. - Rodrigo Puebla of the Flagler College women's tennis team was named the ITA Southeast Regional Coach of the Year, according to a release Monday afternoon.

Puebla is the first coach since Walter Shinn (2014) to be selected ITA Southeast Region Coach of the Year. With the season currently still in progress, Puebla has led the Saints to a 21-5 record. For the the season, the Saints have 11 wins against nationally-ranked opponents. The team had a season-high seven match win streak. Their biggest ranked wins of the year came against No. 4 Lynn Universtiy (4-0) and No. 4 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (4-2). Other notable wins came against previously undefeated and No. 6-ranked Catawba College (4-1), No. 7 University of Nebraska at Kearney (6-1), No. 8 Wingate University (4-2), and No. 9 University of North Georgia (4-3).

As a team, the Saints highest national ranking was No. 3. They are currently ranked No. 8. Individually, Puebla coached three players that appear, or have appeared, on the national rankings in singles. Dana Heimen is currently No. 8 in the nation, and her best ranking was No. 2, which she held for two weeks. Laura Jipescu capped at No. 47 entering the spring. Anastasia Nikolova was ranked at No. 34 for two weeks and is currently ranked No. 40. In doubles, Heimen and Nikolova are currently ranked third in the nation, a spot which they have held for the past two weeks. The duo has been ranked in nine-of-the-10 rankings for this academic year.