TEMPE, ARIZONA – The Intercollegiate Tennis Association has announced that Samuel Antwi of UT Tyler men's tennis has been named the Division II Player to Watch after a brilliant standout year with the Patriots.
 
Antwi, a junior from Accra, Ghana, was nothing short of elite for the Patriots all season long. He went 29-4 for the year in singles action and 23-2 in the spring season, with his only two losses in 2026 coming in the final two matches of the season. In doubles, he added a 15-2 record in the spring, including a perfect 12-0 record with teammate Trevor Short.
 
He was ranked as high as #8 in the ITA Singles Rankings in his first year of NCAA action. He also was named the ITA South Central Region  Player to Watch earlier this month, the LSC Newcomer of the Year, and named to both the All-LSC Singles First Team and Second Team Doubles.
 
He is now the third player in program history to win a national award from the ITA, joining teammate Artiom Dorofeev in 2025 (ITA Rookie of the Year), and former Patriot Dustin Phillips in 2009 (ITA Arthur Ashe Award).