Kentucky senior All-American Jesse Witten parlayed a 10-1 conference season at No. 1 singles into a Southeastern Conference Men?s Tennis Player of the Year selection, the league announced Tuesday. Witten becomes the first Kentucky men?s or women?s tennis player to earn the player of the year honor from the conference.

Soon to become UK?s first four-time singles All-American, the Naples, Fla., native also collected his fourth-consecutive first-team All-SEC selection, becoming the first Wildcat to earn first-team honors throughout his career. Witten has amassed a 37-5 singles record during his senior season and moved up to No. 3 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) men?s singles rankings released Tuesday.

?It?s a real honor for Jesse to be our first (SEC) player of the year,? UK Coach Dennis Emery said. ?We?ve had 24 All-Americans, but we?ve only had one SEC Player of the Year in what I think is clearly the toughest conference in the country. He?s proven to be a solid, consistent winner through the years.?

Witten and fellow senior Tigran Martirosyan earned a second-team All-SEC nod in doubles play. The pair owns a 7-4 tally in league play and recently defeated three top-10 opponents in the same week. The duo vaulted from No. 12 to No. 6 in the ITA doubles rankings released Tuesday.

?We?re really pleased with Jesse and Tigran,? Emery said. ?At one point, they weren?t playing well, but they were able to right their season and end up as an All-SEC doubles team. It?s a tribute to their hard work in doubles play.?

Emge Named to SEC Good Works Team

Also Tuesday, UK junior Nate Emge earned a selection to the SEC Men?s Tennis Good Works Team. Nominees are selected based on their dedication to community service in their respective communities.

Emge, an Evansville, Ind., native, participated in a Christmas lunch in conjunction with UK?s Markey Cancer Center. Emge also has helped with food drives sponsored by UK?s Center for Academic and Tutorial Services (CATS).