Liam Draxl, Gabriel Diallo, Millen Hurrion Earn All-SEC Honors

LEXINGTON, Ky. – As No. 15 Kentucky awaits its postseason fate, three Wildcats were named to the 2021 All-Southeastern Conference Team on Friday.
 
Canadian sophomores Liam Draxl and Gabriel Diallo were bestowed All-SEC first-team honors, while senior Millen Hurrion was selected for the All-SEC second team. Draxl was also declared the 2021 SEC Newcomer of the Year.
 
Draxl has held the No. 1 spot in the ITA Singles Rankings each of the past three weeks. The 6-foot-1 Newmarket, Ontario, native produced a 19-2 record in singles play, all coming on the top court. With a 9-2 record both in SEC play and against nationally ranked opponents, Draxl went 2-0 versus the nation’s No. 1 singles players at the time. He earned SEC Player and Newcomer of the Week honors twice apiece this season and his never lost a singles match at home in his career.
 
Because the SEC Newcomer of the Year superlative was implemented to recognize a current sophomore whose freshman campaign was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic, Draxl will likely go down as the only recipient of the award in league history.
 
Diallo has been climbing the ITA Singles Rankings all season, as well, currently peaking at No. 12. The 6-foot-7 Montreal native owns a 14-6 (7-3 SEC) dual match record with four ranked wins, primarily competing second in the Kentucky lineup. Diallo also comprises half of the team’s top doubles unit, placing No. 7 in the ITA Doubles Rankings alongside César Bourgois. The duo has a 14-7 (7-5 SEC) record with seven ranked wins, including two in the top six. Diallo was named SEC Co-Newcomer of the Week when he and Draxl split the award on March 31.
 
Hurrion’s first full season in Lexington was highlighted by 14-4 (9-2) record this spring, with one top-10 victory and three ranked wins in total. The Weymouth, England, native and former Gardner-Webb transfer is rated the No. 32 singles player in college tennis.
 
The Wildcats went 15-0 at home and tout a 18-7 (7-5 SEC) record overall, coming off a loss in the quarterfinals of the SEC Championship. The NCAA Selection Show will take place Monday at 6:30 p.m. ET on NCAA.com.
 
For the latest on the Kentucky men’s tennis team, follow @UKMensTennis on Twitter and Facebook, @kentuckymenstennis on Instagram, and on the web at UKAthletics.com.