LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – On the same day she picked up her diploma for earning a bachelor's degree from the university's world-renowned hospitality college, UNLV star Aiwen Zhu was named the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) 2019 Senior Player of the Year for the Mountain Region. Joining Zhu in being honored by the ITA were head coach Kevin Cory and assistant coach Tetiana Luzhanska.

With the announcement, Zhu became the first player in history to earn an ITA regional award all four seasons at UNLV. The native of Wuxi, China, was previously the 2018 Cissie Leary Sportsmanship Award winner, the 2017 Player to Watch and the 2016 Freshman of the Year.

Currently 29-7 in singles and 25-8 in doubles, Zhu joined former Rebels Lucia Batta (2014), Kristina Nedeltcheva (2010) and Marianne Vallin (1997) in taking home the ITA Regional Senior of the Year trophy.

The two-time Mountain West Player of the Year is just the third Rebel named All-MW in both singles and doubles for four consecutive years. Also a four-time MW Scholar-Athlete, she capped her Saturday by flying to Orlando, Florida, to prepare for the NCAA Singles Championship, which starts Monday.

Cory, the winningest coach in school and conference history, earned his fourth ITA Wilson Head Coach of the Year Award but first in six years. Luzhanska, who is completing her second season at the school, won her first assistant honor and first for the program since 2016. The Rebels finished with a record of 18-7 that included both a MW regular-season and tournament championship followed by an upset of No. 26 Texas Tech in the First Round of the NCAA Championship.
This marked the third time overall and first time since 2002 that UNLV earned the ITA's regional award for both head coach and assistant coach in the same season.

ITA REGIONAL SENIOR OF THE YEAR
2019 – Aiwen Zhu (Mountain)
2014 -- Lucia Batta (Mountain)
2010 -- Kristina Nedeltcheva (Mountain)
1997 -- Marianne Vallin (West)
 
ITA REGIONAL WILSON COACH OF THE YEAR
2019 – Kevin Cory (Mountain)
2013 -- Kevin Cory (Mountain)
2011 -- Kevin Cory (Mountain)
2002 -- Kevin Cory (West)
1997 -- Ola Malmqvist (West)
 
ITA REGIONAL ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR
2019 – Tetiana Luzhanska (Mountain)
2016 -- Tim Nichols (Mountain)
2012 -- Mark Roberts (Mountain)
2010 -- Mark Roberts (Mountain)
2002 -- Owen Hambrook (West)
1997 -- Douglas Geiwald (West)