UGA men’s tennis team Nathan Ponwith has been named the SEC Freshman of the Week for the fifth time this season.

 
 
This is the third consecutive week Ponwith has won the award after moving up to the No.1 singles spot for the Bulldogs. The Scottsdale, Ariz., native garners the most recent honor after knocking off South Carolina’s 69th-ranked Harrison O’Keefe to clinch the match and help the Bulldogs claim at least a share of the 2017 SEC Championship.
 
 
“There are a lot of young, talented players in this league, so winning Freshman of the Week five times is no small task,” head coach Manuel Diaz said. “Nathan is a joy to coach and is getting better week in and week out. He is a tremendous competitor who absolutely hates to lose, and that has been very evident this year. We are excited about his progress and look forward to watching him continue to grow.”
 
 
Ponwith came to Athens ranked as the No. 1 recruit nationally and has not disappointed in his short time with the program. He is currently 20-8 overall in singles, including a 4-1 record at the No. 1 singles spot. In doubles, Ponwith has teamed with Emil Reinberg at the second position and the duo currently boasts a 6-3 record.
 
 
Joining fellow freshman Robert Loeb, Ponwith is part of a young team that features five underclassmen in its regular six-man lineup. In all, Ponwith and Loeb have combined to win the Freshman of the Week honor in seven of 12 weeks so far during the regular season.
 
 
Georgia will try to earn the outright SEC regular season championship when the squad heads to Texas A&M on Saturday at 2 p.m. ET. The Aggies come into the match with a 10-1 conference record, while the Bulldogs are 11-0.