![Georgia’s Nathan Ponwith during the Bulldogs’ match against Washington at Dan Magill Tennis Complex on Sunday, Jan. 29, 2017. (Photo by Cory A. Cole / Georgia Sports Communications)](https://photos.smugmug.com/Tennis-men/201617/ITA-Kickoff-Weekend/i-MVbMWcC/0/L/170129_cac_MTennis_wash_0043-L.jpg)
(Photo by Cory A. Cole / Georgia Sports Communications)
Georgia men’s tennis player Nathan Ponwith has been named the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week, and it is his second-straight week of receiving the honor.
The Scottsdale, Ariz., native has been instrumental in the fifth-ranked Bulldogs’ 3-0 start to the 2017 dual-match season. He is currently 2-0 in both singles and doubles during the spring campaign and has won four consecutive contests on the singles courts and five in a row in doubles.
“To win back-to-back Freshman of the Week honors in this league is an impressive accomplishment,” head coach Manuel Diaz said. “We have really been pleased with Nathan and his progression, especially from the start of the new year until now. He continues to work hard, is beginning to understand what it takes to win at this level and has shown a great deal of personal growth. I’m really proud of all of our freshmen and think we have a tremendous group that is going to do so much for Georgia tennis this year and in the future.”
Ponwith came to Georgia ranked as the No. 1 recruit in the nation for the 2016 class. He went 8-4 in singles and recorded five doubles wins during his first fall in Athens. This past week, he helped Georgia clinch a spot in the ITA National Indoor Championships with a singles win against Purdue after clinching the doubles point against the Boilermakers.
Next up, Ponwith and the Bulldogs head to the SEC/Pac-12 Showdown in Gainesville, Fla., this weekend. Georgia plays sixth-ranked UCLA at 10 a.m. ET on Saturday, before facing eighth-ranked USC at 10 a.m. ET on Sunday.